


Unspoken

by Suituuup



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: AU, F/F, First Meetings, Fluff, Social Anxiety
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2019-07-04 14:30:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 26,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15843216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suituuup/pseuds/Suituuup
Summary: On the second day of her fourth and last year at Barden, Chloe meets an oddly quiet girl and finds herself drawn to her despite her silence.





	1. Chapter 1

Chloe Beale has always been a talkative person. She started talking when she was seven months old, a young age according to the pediatrician, and has barely stopped since, to her teachers' dismay when she wouldn't stop chatting to her class neighbor rather than focusing on the lesson.

She likes words; in all shapes or form: novels, letters, poetry, lyrics. She likes to use them to interact with people or sing. To her, words are the most powerful thing given to human beings. They have the ability to help, heal and conquer. Maybe her love for words comes from her dad, who bathed her in classic literature the moment she was old enough to read.

It's her fourth and last year at Barden and she really can't complain on how college life is treating her; she has a nice group of friends, Tom, and the Bellas. But when she sees that quiet girl in the back of the room at the start of her Musical Studies class, little does she know that her life is about to change.

It's the second day of the semester, and Chloe steps into the classroom to find that there's only one seat left, next to a short girl. She walks to the desk and sits down, dropping her backpack on the floor.

"Hi! Are you a freshman?"

The girl nods shily, meeting her eyes curtly before focusing back on the white sheets of paper set in front of her.

Chloe's grin widens. "Well, you're gonna love this class. Professor Martle is amazing."

The girl doesn't say anything back, but Chloe doesn't really think much of it. Her eyes fall to the girl's desk, where everything is more organized than her current life. Pencils are ordered by their shade of color, and neatly lined together, perfectly parallel to the stack of paper in front of the girl.

Chloe doesn't have much time to dwell on that, because the teacher comes in, and steals her attention.

//

It's pouring outside and Chloe sighs in relief when she steps through the threshold of the coffee shop on campus. Presumably, like any day when it's raining, the place is crowded and there are no tables available. Chloe brushes back her wet hair and pulls it into a messy pony tail before stepping up to the counter.

"Hi," she greets the barista warmly, "Can I get a large black coffee, please?"

"Sure thing, that will be $2.50."

Chloe digs into her pocket until she finds some coins and drops them into the awaiting hand. She shudders as a chill makes its way down her spine and tightens her coat around her body. Once the coffee mug is placed in front of her, she grabs it and starts to look around for a vacant seat. She spots that girl from her musical studies class tucked in a corner and tentatively walks over to her.

"Hi, is this seat taken?" she asks brightly, hand setting on the back of the wooden chair.

Dark blue orbs meet hers and there's a flitting moment of silence before the slightest of headshake is shown. Chloe hesitates, feeling like she is intruding. Her eyes move between the girl to the heavy drops outside, and she'd rather wait it out than defy the elements.

She drags the chair back and sits down, taking her book out of her coat pocket.

It's tattered in the edges and partly wet, but Chloe's father has always told her that an enjoyable book should be worn by the time it's finished, a proof that it was thoroughly enjoyed and taken everywhere because the reader couldn't put it down.

As she reads the first few lines of the third chapter, she feels eyes on her. Looking up quickly, she catches the offenders, which are immediately cast down, partly hidden by the computer screen.

"I'm Chloe, by the way," She finally says, waving shortly, above the device creating a barrier between herself and the mysterious girl. "We have musical studies together."

The girl doesn't say anything in return, but that doesn't throw Chloe as she continues on. "Do you enjoy music, too?" she asks, tilting her head to the side, she does feel kind of stupid for asking this; obviously if the girl takes the class, she must enjoy music. The brunette nods curtly, remaining silent, though her eyes are bright and are good enough substitutes for words. "I'm co-captain of this acapella group, if you're interested in joining. The try-outs are in two days, in the auditorium."

Her phone starts to ring then, and Chloe smiles apologetically as she motions toward her phone, "Sorry, I have to take this."

She stands up and finds a quiet corner near the bathroom to take the call without bothering the other customers. It's Aubrey, who is freaking out about not having enough people showing up to audition. Chloe reassures her for a good five minutes, and when she eventually ends the call and walks back to the table, the girl is gone.

//

 

Chloe sees her again the following week in class. As the last time, the desk next to the girl's is empty, so Chloe sits down and smiles at her.

"Good morning," she greets happily, leaning back into her chair as she opens her textbook. The teacher isn't here yet, and the classroom slowly starts to fill in. "I've waited the whole week for this class. The other ones are just so… boring compared to this."

The petite girl simply smiles at her. Well, if you can call that a smile. It's more of a tug of the lips upward, an acknowledgment that she heard Chloe. The redhead takes a moment to study her. Her make-up is quite heavy and dark, she has a few piercings in her ear, and a headphones tattoo on her forearm. She's what Aubrey would call 'alternative' and not as a compliment.

The teacher comes in before Chloe can observe any further, and the class is going great, until he asks everyone to introduce themselves in a few words, as well as their experience and relationship with music.

"Let's see, who wants to start?" Shockingly, no one raises their hand. He glances down at the list of names, before looking back at his students.

"Beca Mitchell?"

Chloe doesn't know who Beca Mitchell is, but she does see the coffee shop girl next to her tense and become as pale as a ghost. Her fingers tighten around her pencil until her knuckles turn white, and Chloe is afraid it might snap into two.

"Mmm," the teacher hums after a while, ticking something on his list, "Not showing up on the second class… I know some of you might think that you can ditch class because it's college, but you're not going to get your diploma if you don't attend."

Professor Martle goes on about the importance of attendance, but Chloe tunes him out at some point, her focus pulled like a magnet to the girl. She looks more relaxed now, and Chloe quickly puts two and two together.

At the end of the class, the brunette is out of her seat the second the teacher lets them out, almost bumping into a friend of Chloe's on the way out. Chloe gathers her stuff and walks out of the room quickly.

"Beca!"

She calls out, both eyebrows raising in surprise when the girl actually stops.

Chloe jogs up to her, "So you _are_ Beca. I'm glad to finally know your name."

Chloe wants to ask her why she hasn't spoken up when the teacher said her name, preferring to be regarded as a ditcher than saying a few words about herself. But she doesn't, instead opens the door for Beca and waves her goodbye when she spots Aubrey waiting for her to go eat at the cafeteria.

//

 

It's another few days before she sees Beca again, at the supermarket this time. Chloe's waiting in line two people behind Beca and busies herself with her phone while she waits.

"That'll be $9.22, please."

Chloe looks up, in time to see Beca pat her pockets hurriedly, before her demeanor falls completely.

It's happened to Chloe before, the utter embarrassment of having forgotten her wallet at home. But she has never had a meltdown over it, and right now it looks like Beca is about to. Frowning, Chloe waits for a few seconds, but when the guy in front starts to get impatient and says something about Beca being stupid, she snaps into motion.

"I'm with her," she tells the cashier, shoving unceremoniously past the intolerant guy and dropping her bag of bread and jar of peanut butter in front of his things. She's glad she doesn't have many items. "Just add this, too, please."

She glares at the burly guy, and swipes her card into the device. Beca stands next to her, but it's as if she's miles away. Her gaze is blank, unfocused, and her fingers keep fiddling with the zipper of her jacket, dragging it up and down rapidly. Once she's done paying, Chloe pries Beca's empty shopping bag from her fingers and begins to drop the brunette's groceries into it. She would enjoy doing it purposefully slowly, just to mess with the infuriated customer behind them, but right now her mind is set on taking Beca out of here as soon as possible.

When she's done packing, she tentatively reaches for Beca's hand, who, to her surprise doesn't pull away. They walk to the nearest exit and Beca takes a huge gush of air in as soon as they step out. Breath after another, until she's hyperventilating. Chloe leads her to a bench to sit her down and crouches down in front of her, blue eyes filled with concern.

"It's okay, Beca," she whispers, setting a hand on Beca's knee.

Beca lets out a whimper and shrinks away from Chloe's touch. Chloe frowns, hand recoiling as if scalded, and tries to reassure Beca while keeping her hands to herself, which, for Chloe, is a very difficult thing to do.

"You're okay."

But she isn't. Her breathing intensifies, and soon she's wheezing and rocking, and Chloe has no idea what to do except calling 911. But somehow, this doesn't seem like the right plan, so she does what she's best at; talking.

The bag of groceries lies at her feet, a bag of candies sticking out, and an idea pops into Chloe's mind.

"You like skittles?" she asks in a soft voice, not expecting an answer, but Beca's eyes focus on her as soon as the words are out. "They are my favorite, too. Not the orange ones, though. But I think those are everybody's least favorite."

Chloe tries not to smile too widely when Beca's breathing steadies and her eyes lock with Chloe's.

"I don't even know why they still keep making them. Like I don't know why they keep making creamy peanut butter. The crunchy one is so much better, right?"

Again, there's no answer to her question. Well, at least not a verbal one, but Beca's eyes speak for her as she gazes at Chloe curiously. A woman with a dog walks past them, and Chloe notes Beca's attention being pulled towards it.

"That's an Australian Shepherd. You like dogs? I love them. I want to be a vet, actually. And make music too."

Beca's ears seem to perk up at the mention of music, and Chloe feels the anxiety leave her own body.

"Who's your favorite singer?" Chloe asks, and Beca shrugs. "I like Bruno Mars. But my favorite song ever is _Titanium_ , by David Guetta and Sia. Do you know it?"

Chloe's heart sings when Beca gives her a nod and the hint of a smile. Chloe starts to hum softly, head bobbing from right to left along the rhythm. Beca doesn't join her, but her fingers tap to the same rhythm on her thigh. Another minute passes until Beca gets her bearings back and slowly stands.

"Do you need a ride back to your place?" Chloe asks, and Beca's eyes widen, before she shakes her head. She grabs her bag of groceries, and stands, giving Chloe an awkward wave before she walks away.

Chloe is left a bit dumbfounded, brows furrowed and unsettled by the girl's behavior, but she's more surprised with the fact that she wants to see her again.

When the next music studies class comes around the following day, Beca is nowhere to be found. Chloe tries to ignore the disappointment unraveling in her chest. In her usual seat though, lies a piece of paper folded into four with her name on it. Chloe picks it up, sits down and opens it. A ten-dollar bill falls out, and written in a loopy drawl is a _thank you_ , a doodle of a whale drawn in the bottom corner.

Chloe's heart swoons and she pockets both items, making a note to herself to try and get to know Beca a bit more.

//

The next time she meets Beca, it's by almost knocking her over. Chloe is looking for her keys in her purse when she gets into Carter Hall toward her dorm (luckily, she's a senior and has a single room to herself) and doesn't see the person coming around the corner.

"Gosh, I'm so sorry," she apologizes purposefully, crouching down to pick up the stuff that fell on the floor. When she glances up, she's met with those familiar dark blue irises and her breathing itches.

"Oh, hi Beca."

Beca acknowledges her with a smile, as she always does, and continues to gather her stuff. They both stand and Chloe hands the sheets of paper back to their rightful owner.

"Are those piano partitions? Do you play?" Beca nods, eyes flitting back and forth from her feet to Chloe. "Are you doing anything right now?"

The brunette shakes her head, balancing her weight from one foot to another and flexing her fingers, as if she's debating over something in her head.

"Well, I was on my way to the auditorium to practice some scales, you're welcome to join me and play the piano over there, if you want to!"

Beca's eyes light up, and Chloe stifles a smile. She cocks her head toward the exit, and reaches for Beca's hand.

"Come on, then."

She feels Beca tense at first, but then she hears her exhale slowly and there's a squeeze to her own hand.

They walk to the auditorium in silence, and Chloe is glad to find it empty when she unlocks the door. She sets her things down on top of the piano and looks in amusement as Beca eyes the instrument without daring to touch it.

"It's okay, you can play if you want."

The younger girl tentatively sits down onto the bench and runs her fingers over the keys back and forth, before she closes her eyes and starts to play. Chloe feels and hears her own breathing catch in her throat as the first notes fill the room. She can tell after a few seconds that Beca is good. _Really_ good.

At some point, Beca starts to hum under her breath and Chloe stops warming up to watch her. It's the first time Chloe hears Beca vocalizing and it makes her skin tingle. Eventually, Chloe forgets about her initial activity all together and hesitantly sits down on the piano bench, keeping a safe distance between herself and Beca as to not frighten the brunette.

Beca fades out her first tune and hits another few notes to transition into what Chloe recognizes as Beca's own rendition of _The Scientist_ by Coldplay, and the lyrics are itching to get out of her mouth. Chloe launches into the first part of the chorus, watching closely for Beca's reaction. She stifles a laugh when Beca misses a note the second Chloe's voice rings out through the entire the auditorium and flushes to a deep red, before continuing flawlessly.

"You are amazing," Chloe gushes, finding it hard to take her eyes off Beca as she plays the last notes.

A comfortable silence fills the room when she stops. Chloe doesn't know how much time has passed since they got here, but she has never witnessed Beca so at ease, and it warms her heart to think that maybe she's doing something right to help with that. "It's like you make one with music. You must have been playing for a long time, right?"

Beca nods, orbs casting downwards immediately, as if embarrassed by the sole attention Chloe is giving her.

"I've always wanted to learn to play the piano but I never came around to do it. And I think it might be a bit late to start now," she runs her fingers over the keys, loving the way the ivory feels underneath her fingertips. "It's such a complex instrument."

Beca shakes her head and opens her mouth wordlessly, before closing it again a second later. She closes her eyes, the muscle in her jaw contracting as she grinds her teeth. Chloe waits patiently as the same scene unfolds twice before her, until Beca manages to look at her.

"I…" she starts, gaze darting back and forth between the black and white keys to Chloe's blue orbs. "I can… teach you."

Her speech is slow, slurred and lacks proper enunciation, but Chloe doesn't care, she's too busy feeling giddy about hearing Beca's voice for the first time.

"Really?" Chloe exclaims, mouth spreading into a wide grin. So wide, that it seems to rub off on Beca, who too, lets herself smile. Though it doesn't match Chloe's, the redhead will take it. Any sign of delight coming from her new friend is good enough for her. "That would be awesome. Can we start tomorrow?"

Beca's head bobs up and down, "Yes."

They stare at each other for a moment, lost in their own little world, until the door swings open and chatter begins to invade the room. Beca's features immediately tense, and she's scrambling to get her piano partitions off the instrument, shoving them unceremoniously into her backpack. Chloe's head wipes around to see Aubrey and the rest of the Bellas spill inside the auditorium. Beca doesn't look back, instead all but flees the room.

"Who was _that_?" Aubrey asks with a frown as Chloe stands, somewhat dazzled by Beca's sudden departure.

"Um, her name's Beca. She's a freshman, we're in Musical Studies together."

Aubrey's nose wrinkles unpleasantly. "She seems a bit alternative, with all those ear monstrosities."

Chloe shakes her head, eyes set on the exit door, wishing that Beca hadn't gone so quickly. "She's a lot more than meets the eye, trust me."

//

Chloe is glad to be Thursday. The Musical Studies class takes place on Thursdays, so Thursdays mean that she will get to see Beca.

She's running late today, and class has already started when she gets in. The seat next to Beca is already taken, and Chloe tries not to let her disappointment show too much, though she feels her heart drop in pit of her stomach. That should be the first hint that she might be crushing a little too much on the shy girl, but for now she chooses to push that little voice in her head aside and lock it up.

She settles into one of the seats in the first row and looks over her shoulder, waving at Beca with a smile. As always when Chloe gives her any form of attention, blush spreads over Beca's cheeks, but she waves back timidly.

For the first time since taking this class for the fourth year, Chloe is eager for it to be over just so she can say hi to Beca. When the teacher lets them go, Chloe gathers her stuff up in her bag and waits by the door.

"Hi," she says chirpily when the freshman stops in front of her. Beca reciprocates with another wave and Chloe pulls her off to the side a little bit so they are not blocking the way. "Are we still on for our piano lesson tonight?"

Beca nods, lifting her wrist to tap at her watch.

Getting the message, Chloe shrugs. "I don't know what time I'll be done with the Bellas. Can I text you when I'm ready? Should be around 6, but I don't want to keep you waiting should it be later than that."

Again, Beca agrees with a nod, but remains still. Chloe stares at her in amusement.

"Do you have a phone?"

Realization dawns on Beca's eyes and she reaches into her back pocket, unlocks her phone and hands it to Chloe, who quickly types in her cell number, along with her name and surname. She texts herself and hands the device back to its owner.

"There you go. See you tonight?"

Beca smiles and nods curtly, hands gripping the straps of her backpacks. She opens her mouth, then closes it, and spins on her heels, walking away before Chloe's brain can ponder further on how cute she is.

The piano lesson goes as nicely as Chloe expected it to go, if not more; Beca is very patient and focused on her teaching mission. Her speech is moderate, she only speaks when she absolutely needs to, otherwise she conveys her instructions through gestures and touches.

And that last part is probably why Chloe enjoys the lesson so much. While Beca is hesitant at first, it seems that she'd rather move Chloe's hands to the right position than tell her where to place them. And really, Chloe doesn't mind at all, though a part of her wonders if Beca feels that same spark every time their skin touches.

By the end of the lesson, Chloe's learned to play different notes and read them off a partition. When she makes it through the first two lines correctly, she exhales and smiles in satisfaction, although her brain feels mushy and drained of energy after the extensive cramming.

"Play something," Chloe requests after a few seconds of silence. Beca raises her eyebrows, the hint of a smirk on her lips. "Please?"

The brunette chuckles, "Okay. What?"

Chloe looks at Beca through her eyelashes and nibbles on her bottom lip before murmuring, "Surprise me."

After listening to Beca play flawlessly for another half-an-hour, Chloe knows that she's now in too deep to backtrack. From the way her heart speeds up every time those grey-blue eyes meet hers and the way her stomach flips the rare times the brunette laughs, she knows her crush for Beca is a bit too real to be just a fling.

_//_

_Are you coming to the party tonight?_

Chloe's phone lights up on Beca's bed with Aubrey's text. The two girls have been meeting once a week for Chloe's piano lesson, but they now also meet to study together in Beca's dorm. Chloe looks over to her phone and grabs it. She reads the text, before her eyes flit over to Beca, who is lying back against the headboard of her bed, legs draped over Chloe's as the redhead sits perpendicular to her, back against the wall, biology book splayed out on her thighs.

Beca finished her own homework over an hour ago and is now buried deep in her copy of _The Lord of The Rings_. Chloe was quick to realize that Beca is very smart; it takes her half the time it takes Chloe to write a paper.

"Hey Bec?" Chloe asks timidly.

Beca hums and looks up, and Chloe stops breathing for a second. Beca has glasses on, like she does every time she reads a book, hair tied in a messy bun on top of her head, and Chloe is dazzled by how cute she looks right in that moment. It would be simple to close the gap between them and press her lips to Beca's, but Chloe reigns her urges back in.

"There's a party tonight with the Bellas and the Trebles, I was wondering if you wanted to come?"

"A-a party?" Beca asks, lowering her book until it's laid out in her lap.

"Yeah, there won't be that many people. It's held at the Treble's house across campus."

Chloe watches with cautious eyes as panic washes over Beca's features. She wrenches her gaze from Chloe's and focuses on the bedspread, which she has begun fiddling with.

"I've," she swallows heavily, "I've never been to…a party before."

Chloe tries to hide her shock as best as she can, though she feels her eyes widen slightly, and when Beca ducks her head further down, she wants to kick herself.

"Well, there's always a first to everything." She says with a smile and Beca seems to consider it for a while.

"I…" Her gaze jumps between Chloe and the window of her bedroom, "No, thank you."

"Come on," Chloe says, bouncing to a sitting position, and crawling up until she's hovering over Beca, arms on each side of the brunette. "It'll be fun!"

There's something that seems to snap inside Beca, and she's suddenly pushing Chloe away, scrambling to her feet in her haste to get away from her. Chloe frowns as the shorter girl avoids her gaze.

"Beca?"

Beca seems to be fighting tears, and when she brings a hand up to push her hair away from her face, Chloe can see it's shaking.

"Can you," Beca's fists clench and unclench by her sides and she exhales loudly, as if on the verge of a panic attack. "Go? Please."

Chloe stares at Beca, hurt spreading all over her chest and seizing her heart in an chocking grip. She bites back her pain and gathers her things while Beca's eyes remain fastened to the floor.

"I'm sorry," Chloe whispers once she's by the door, guilt suddenly eating at her stomach for her bold actions and words. All she wants to do is wrap Beca in an embrace but if the latter wants space, she'll respect that. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, Beca. Are we still on for tomorrow?"

After what seems like an eternity, Beca's eyes finally meet hers and she nods. It's futile and barely there, but it somehow manages to mend Chloe's battered soul.

As Chloe leaves her own dorm an hour later to go to the party, she can't stop thinking about Beca, and her reaction. As the scene plays back and forth in her brain, she realizes she doesn't want to go to that party anymore. Halfway to the Treble house, she spins around and takes the direction of Baker hall. She shoots a quick text to Aubrey to tell her she won't be there after all, and knocks softly at the brunette's door. Beca opens it a few seconds later, jaw dropping as she takes in Chloe's look, and flushes to a deep scarlet when she seems to catch herself.

Chloe raises an eyebrow, tongue darting out to wet her lips.

"No party?" Beca squeaks out, blush moving all the way down to her neck.

Chloe invites herself without asking and drops her bag on Beca's desk chair.

"I'm not feeling like partying after all. Do you want to eat chocolate and watch a sitcom instead?"

Beca smiles sheepishly and nods, and Chloe is surprised when she grabs a pair of sweats and an oversized tee shirt out of her closet and hands them to Chloe.

"Looks… more comfortable," she explains, eyeing Chloe up and down.

Alright, so her skirt is a little bit tight and that oversized tee shirt definitely looks more comfortable than her top, but Chloe feels like it's just an excuse for her to stay the night.

The redhead changes into the bathroom down the hall, and when she returns, Beca has set up her computer at the foot of her bed, an episode of _Friends_ ready to be played. Chloe lies down next to her, hesitantly reaching for Beca's hand. Beca tilts her head to the side at the random gesture.

"I'm really sorry about earlier," Chloe says softly, crystal blue eyes seeking Beca's through her eyelashes. "I didn't mean to push you. You just, you mean a lot to me and I guess I'd like my friends to see how great you are, too."

"That's," Beca's voice wavers slightly, and she clears her throat slightly, "Nobody's ever said that to me before."

Chloe's thumb strokes the back of Beca's hand in a repeated mantra.

"Well, that's a shame, because it's true."

Beca doesn't reply anything, but the tears gathered in her eyes speak more than words ever could. Chloe casts hers down to Beca's lips, wondering if they are as soft as they look and if they fit with Chloe's should she kiss her. There's a stream of confessions screaming to get out, but they lock behind Chloe's teeth, reverberating inside her chest as she swallows them back down.

Chloe blinks, clearing her throat, before she reaches over to press play.

Beca doesn't last through the first episode, falling asleep against Chloe's shoulder. Chloe's phone rings beside her, a curse leaving her mouth when she sees Aubrey's name pop up. She carefully extracts herself from Beca, who whines a little bit in her sleep in protest.

"I'll be back," Chloe whispers, leaning down to kiss the brunette's forehead before she really thinks twice about it. She pads to the door and accepts the call, back sliding against the wall until she's sat on the floor.

" _How come you weren't at the party?"_

Chloe sighs, "I didn't feel like going."

" _Are you okay?"_

"Yeah, I'm with Beca."

" _Oh,"_ she hears Aubrey take a deep breath and expects a snarky comment. _"Are you two like... a thing?"_

"No." Chloe is quick to answer, but she wishes she could say yes. Another sigh makes its way past her lips, "It's complicated."

" _I have time."_

Chloe knows better than avoiding a subject when it comes to Aubrey. And frankly, her feelings have been digging a hole in her stomach, so sharing them wouldn't be so bad, even if it's not to Beca.

"It's different with her," she says, knowing she doesn't have to elaborate. Aubrey knows Chloe has never been in a meaningful relationship. "She's special. But she's also shy and guarded and I'm afraid of her reaction if I say something."

" _Then be patient. Maybe broach the subject from time to time. Is she into girls?"_

"I don't know. I just know that she doesn't talk much, unless it's just the two of us. So I guess that shows that she trusts me?"

" _Probably,"_ Aubrey says, and there's a pause at the end of the line. _"So… are you into girls now?"_

"I don't know... No?" Chloe shrugs, even though Aubrey can't see it. "I guess I'm just into Beca."

" _Okay, well whatever it is, just know that I support you a 100%."_

Chloe feels warmth spread to her chest, "Thanks Bree. Love you."

She hangs up the call and quietly shuffles back inside the room, careful not to make too much noise.

She shuts the laptop and moves back onto the bed as best as she can without disrupting the sleeping form curled in the middle of the mattress. She lies back slowly, pulling the covers with her to cover both she and Beca. Chloe rests her head on her propped-up palm, eyes taking in Beca's relaxed features.

She reaches up and brushes a strand of Beca's hair past her ear.

"What are you doing to me?" she murmurs in the dark room, fingers outlining Beca's cheekbone and jaw.

She wants to pour all the things she's feeling so that she's not drowning anymore. Itching closer, Chloe wraps her arms around the smaller girl, letting Beca's steady breathing lull her to sleep.

//

Chloe couldn't be more bored in class the next day. She knows she's a senior and that she should be paying attention, but her mind is somewhere else. After coming the conclusion with herself that she isn't going to be able to focus, she fishes her phone out of her pocket and shoots a text to Beca.

_**Hey you. Are you busy later?** _

Chloe tries to ignore her fluttering heart when her phone chimes seven seconds later (no, she didn't _count_ ) with a response from her favorite brunette.

_Well, I do have this piano lesson with this annoyingly cheery redhead but I'm sure I can get out of it._

Chloe stifles a giggle; over the course of the week during which she and Beca have been exchanging by texts, the redhead has realized that Beca is much more at ease communicating this way, the shyness she expresses when she's around people vanishing to show bits and pieces of her true personality: a fun and witty girl that has a way with sarcasm.

Chloe forgot about their piano lesson. It usually takes place on Tuesdays, but Beca has an appointment tomorrow, so they moved it a day forward.

_**Oh well, you should ditch her. I hear she's kinda stubborn though. Might not let you go.** _

_What did you have in mind?_

_**Dunno. Just wanted to hang out. I have a killer headache and I don't feel like practicing tonight.** _

_Could I take you somewhere?_

Chloe feels tiny butterflies flapping away in her stomach as she reads the text. It's rare that Beca initiates things, so Chloe seizes the opportunity when it presents itself. It's even harder for Chloe to focus now that she knows she'll be seeing Beca later today.

A few minutes after five, Chloe finds Beca standing where she said she would, hands buried in her leather jacket, a guitar strapped to her back.

"Hi," Chloe greets with a warm smile, stopping three feet away from Beca, not sure if she should hug her or not.

Beca returns her smile and cocks her head in a general direction off campus, Chloe quickly falling into step with her. The walk to wherever Beca is taking her is quiet, Beca stealing a few glances here and there in Chloe's direction.

At some point, Chloe feels Beca's fingers brush against hers. She isn't sure if it's just a random act caused by the swinging of their hands as they walk or a purposeful invitation to take Beca's hand. Chloe goes for the latter; she reaches out and laces her fingers through Beca's and with bathed breath -they have held hands before, but never in a such an intimate way- waits for the other girl to wrench her hand away. She doesn't though, and out of the corner of her eye Chloe catches Beca smiling.

Beca leads her up a hill through the woods located south of Barden, the trail surrounded by color-changing trees, which provide them with much appreciated shades in the warm autumn afternoon. By the time they get to the top, Chloe's skin is covered in a thin layer of sweat, and she briefly thinks she should listen to Aubrey about doing more cardio.

But then the sight displayed before her eyes makes the lack of breath in her lungs worth it. Sure, the view is nice; miles and miles of forest covered grounds parting to make way for Barden's large river on its way to the coast of Georgia to meet the ocean. No, the sight that makes Chloe's heart sing is the look on Beca's face as she gazes at the nature in front of them. The girl seems at peace and completely in her element.

"Is this your spot?"

Chloe murmurs softly, afraid to disturb Beca from her bond with nature should she speak louder.

Beca nods and tugs on Chloe's hand to lead her further towards the edge, where she sits down on the grass and motions for Chloe to do the same. Beca pulls her guitar over her head and spends a few seconds tuning it while Chloe takes in the beauty of the bright orange trees stretching to no end.

She's pulled out of her reverie with the first strums of Beca's fingers on the chords, breath stilling when Beca's voice fills the air around them.

It creates a turmoil of feelings inside Chloe's chest and tears prick behind her eyes. It's still unbeknownst to Chloe why Beca can't seem to be able to use her voice in any public environment, especially given how beautiful it sounds. But right now, Chloe chooses to focus on the fact that Beca is comfortable enough around her to use it and Chloe feels special.

Deep down, she lets herself be convinced that maybe, possibly, she is as special to Beca as the brunette is to her.

//

The spot up the hill quickly becomes their spot. They go there almost every evening until the last warm October days. They either sing, goof around or read. One afternoon, Chloe is reading her copy of _To Kill a Mockingbird_ , head resting on Beca's stomach, while Beca stares at the sky, absent-mindedly running her fingers along Chloe's scalp. She feels Beca nudge her lightly, and pulls her eyes away from her book to meet Beca's twinkling ones.

"Can you… read out loud?" Beca's speech has improved over the weeks, but it remains slow and jerky, as if she hadn't spoken in years when she first met Chloe. "I like your voice."

And Chloe being Chloe, that's probably one of the best compliments anyone has given her, yet.

"Sure," Chloe says, twisting her head to smile at her.

So for the next half-hour, she reads. She switches tones and voices depending on which character is speaking, even trying herself to a southern drawl that has Beca's stomach clenching in laughter.

//

One day mid-November, Chloe follows Beca out of class, saying something about being too lazy to go to her next class, when something awful catches her ear and makes her step falter.

"Guys, check it out, it's the mute girl," Out of the corner of her eye, Chloe sees Beca stop, too, before the smaller girl shakes her head and resumes her way toward the exit.

Chloe is about to do the same, though with more difficulty, when the next thing she hears has her blinded with murderous rage.

"Do you think she can still moan when she comes? I bet I could make her scream."

Chloe's blood runs cold, fists clenching and unclenching as she tries to control the fury invading her limbs. She registers Beca stopping too, and trying to catch her arm, but Chloe has already spun around and is marching toward the group of boys.

Chloe isn't surprised to see that the comment came from Justin, a jock who is more stupid than anyone she's ever met before, but she suppresses a gasp when she also spots Tom in the group, leaned against the lockers and saying _nothing_.

The redhead stomps right to Justin and shoves him back with all the force she can muster, "Do you actually talk to your mother and sister with that mouth?!"

"Geez Chloe, calm down," Justin says with a raised eyebrow, having recovered from his stumble upon Chloe's push.

"No, I won't calm down, Justin. You can't go and hurt the one person I care about and expect me to say nothing."

"Oh, so you're into her?" Justin wiggles his eyebrows, smiling smugly. "Didn't peg you as a dyke."

His friends laugh too, expect Tom, maybe, who looks kind of hurt. Chloe cannot believe what she is witnessing.

Now, she's not a violent person. She has never slapped or hit anyone. But she has never been so angry either, so when her brain tells her she really wants to clock the guy, she seriously considers it.

Next thing she knows, Justin is doubling over, hand covering his nose, her hand is on fire and the other guys have their jaws dropped in astonishment.

"Fuck you," She spits at Justin, then glares at Tom, directing her next words to him. "By the way, if that's the kind of behavior you tolerate, we're _done_."

"Baby, come on," Tom says with a sigh, rolling his eyes, and his utter nonchalance has her anger flaring up again inside of her.

"Do _not_ baby me right now."

She spins on her heels, eager to make sure Beca is okay and to take her out of here, but the girl is nowhere to be found. Chloe catches sight of the exit door closing and walks quickly, hot on Beca's trail.

"Beca, wait!"

Chloe shouts, relieved to see that Beca actually stops. Her fingers grasp Beca's elbow gently, "Where are you going?"

Beca turns around, and Chloe is taken aback by the tears streaming down her face, tracks of mascara toppling down her cheeks and curling around her chin.

The space between Chloe's eyebrows creases, eyes filling with sadness.

"I'm sorry about them, they're such idiots."

Beca wrenches her arm away from Chloe' hold, prompting Chloe to shake her head in confusion. "What's wrong?"

Beca opens her mouth several times wordlessly, frustration evident on her face and in her behavior. Her jaw sets, her fists clench and unclench and she's stomping her foot, her whole body turning rigid.

"You," the word alone looks like it holds the same effort as climbing a mountain to Beca, reddened in the face and out of breath. While Chloe has always been thrilled to hear Beca's voice, it doesn't look like the next words are bound to be gentle.

"Stop. Leave," Beca's blue eyes have turned midnight cold, matching her tone, and Chloe feels hers swimming in tears. "Me alone."

Beca's speech is back to its original slur, but her words, as messy as they sound, are as sharp as a knife as they ricochet inside Chloe's brain and drive their blade right into her heart.

She chokes on a sob and Beca gives her a long last look before she walks away.

//

Chloe doesn't see Beca for a week after that, and she's dead to the world for anyone who isn't the brunette that stole her heart. She spends the week locked up in her dorm, in her pajamas, either sleeping or staring at her phone, desperately hoping for one of Beca's text. She doesn't try reaching her. Calling is not an option, and every time Chloe types a text, Beca's words haunt her, and she tosses her phone away from her burning fingertips.

Chloe has always liked words, in all shapes or forms, but right now, she feels a hatred towards them. She wishes they didn't exist, and they didn't have the power to convey such sadness.

Aubrey tries to make her come out on a few occasions; bribing her into movie night, guilting her about missing Bellas practice, or even threatening her to knock down the door.

There's a quiet knock at some point during the afternoon. "Go away, Bree."

There's no answer, only three soft knocks, and Chloe is scrambling off her bed in her haste to get it open.

She knows she must be a mess. She has been crying for the last five days and her eyeballs _hurt_. Her hair must be in a terrible state, and there might be a drooling trail on the corner of her lips.

"Beca," she breathes out, eyes settling on the petite girl in front of her. She's about to cry in relief and close the gap between them to hug her, but Beca has established a safe distance and, as difficult as it is, Chloe tries to respect it.

Beca gives her a soft smile, and hands her two items. An envelope with her name on it and a whale drawn on the left bottom corner, along with a red flashdrive. She doesn't say anything, and Chloe feels like they are back on square one, as if Beca didn't feel confident enough around her to speak. Beca turns on her heels and walks away, and Chloe is left dumbfounded by the door.

She closes it and sits Indian style on her bed, tearing the envelope open. Her eyes scan over the handwritten letter.

_Chloe,_

_I thought I would write you this to explain my behavior. Telling you about it would have taken hours._

_First and foremost, I want to say that I'm sorry. I am so sorry for what I said. You didn't deserve it and I know you were only standing up for me. I was angry and upset at myself, more than anything, for not standing up to fight my own battles, and I lashed out on you, which wasn't fair._

_I have never met anybody like you. You are kind, and patient, and while I know you have been dying to ask me all sorts of questions, I can see you are trying to respect my pace, and I'm thankful for that. Thankful for you. I have never met anybody like you, someone that I want to pour all my secrets out to, in my own time, someone that I can trust with my eyes shut. I think it's overdue that I explain a few things, as you have been so patient with me not to be too privy._

_I have what is called Selective Mutism. It mostly appears during childhood, but can also stretch into adulthood. I can speak, as you have noticed, but only in certain settings. It started when my parents divorced when I was five. I went to live with my dad who wasn't very patient with the issue, and it only worsened from then on. I got picked on at school because I couldn't speak and I spent most of my teenage years on my own. It got to the point where I wasn't comfortable speaking to my own parents._

_A few years ago I was also diagnosed with Asperger's; and it causes me extreme anxiety when in public settings and I often have panic attacks, like at the supermarket two months ago. I was offered a scholarship to go to Yale but I chickened out last minute, preferring to enroll in a smaller university closer to home. ASD and selective mutism have been a burden so far, but it doesn't really feel that way now that I realize that if I didn't have it I would have never met you. You are the only person I actually feel comfortable being around, mostly because the fact that I see the world differently doesn't freak you out._

_I'm trying to talk in public, I really am. But every time I try to, it's as if I'm surrounded by a glass prison and I can hear everything and see what's going on, but nobody hears my voice. I do want to get better though. I started to see a speech therapist a few weeks ago and it helps a lot. I'm singing more often, too. I guess I should thank you for that._

_On the flash drive are a few mixes I made. I made those for you, specifically._

_If after all that, you still don't think I'm a weirdo and can forgive me for the way I acted, I'll be at our spot this afternoon._

_Love,_

_Beca_

Chloe reads the letter several times, and her heart aches for Beca. She places the flash drive in a safe place, saving it for later. She puts some clothes on, the first time in a week, and laces a pair of sneakers to her feet. Shutting the door behind her, Chloe walks at a fast pace to the hill and when she gets there, she's a bit breathless. Beca's eyes light up when she spots her, as if surprised she came, and Chloe's heart picks up in anticipation.

Chloe sits down next to the brunette, tucking her legs underneath her body. She leans over and wraps Beca into a gentle hug, arms circling around her back and face burying into the crook of Beca's neck. It takes a few seconds for Beca to respond but she eventually does, stroking Chloe's hair with her hand.

"Thank you for explaining everything to me," Chloe says, and realizes she still has Beca's letter clenched in her closed palm. "And I have never or will ever think you are a freak. You're so beautiful and talented, and I'm sorry people kicked you down the way they did to make you feel this way."

Beca grabs Chloe's hand gently, lacing their fingers together. The touch has butterflies erupt inside Chloe's belly. She patiently waits for Beca to find her words.

"I'm… better. Th-thanks to you."

Beca takes a deep breath and Chloe watches on curiously, as the brunette seems to gather all the courage she can summon for what she's about to say.

"Could I-?" she stops herself abruptly, eyes darting back and forth between the ground and Chloe's. Chloe squeezes her hand in encouragement.

"-Could I take you on a date sometime?"

Out of all the things Chloe expected Beca to say, this wasn't one of them, and Chloe's heart is about to leap out of her chest. Beca isn't looking at her anymore, out of embarrassment perhaps, so Chloe grasps her chin gently, until their eyes meet.

"Yes." Chloe nibbles on her bottom lip to stop her smile from splitting her goddamn face into two. "I'd like that."

Beca exhales slowly through her nose, "Okay, cool."

"Cool?" Chloe teases, enjoying the way Beca immediately flushes.

"I, uh, I'm not very used to that; asking people out on a date. Sorry if that was clumsy."

She flushes in embarrassement and Chloe is suddenly overwhelmed by a moutain of feelings for the girl in front of her. Feelings that she's not sure can be translated into words, so she decides to show Beca instead.

She leans in and kisses her.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

Chloe peers down at her watch. The big arrow hasn't moved much since she's last looked at it a minute ago. With a sigh, she tries to focus on the task in front of her but ends up frowning at her algebra problem ten seconds in.

"Chloe," Aubrey mutters, glancing up from her law book with a pointed look. "The whole table is shaking."

Chloe gives her an apologetic smile and stamps her foot down on the ground to still her bouncing knee. "Sorry. I can't concentrate."

She's going on a date with Beca. Beca, the quiet girl she met two months ago and who has been on her mind ever since. The girl she kissed a week ago.

"You look like Christmas has just been forwarded one week," Aubrey says with a chuckle, just before she pulls a face, "It's kind of nauseating."

"Yeah, I'm just…" the words die on her tongue as she tries to pinpoint how to translate what she's feeling exactly ever since she kissed Beca; that warmth in her chest, that constant need to smile and that tingling in her belly. "…happy."

That kiss was better than what she'd imagined, and boy, had she spent a lot of time lately imagining it. It was gentle at first, leaving Beca time and space to pull away if she wanted to. It wasn't the kind of kiss that caused an eruption of fireworks behind her eyelids, but one that made something click into place within her. Almost like a puzzle she has so dearly wanted to find the solution to all these years, shifting its pieces on its own until it was complete.

"Well, it looks good on you." Aubrey states with a gentle smile, stirring Chloe from her daze. She blinks and reaches across the table to squeeze the blonde's hand.

"Thanks, Bree."

By 7, Chloe is a fidgeting mess; a mixture of excitement and nervousness. She's changed outfits three times, before deciding to settle for simple dark jeans, a white blouse and brown leather boots. There's a knock at the door at precisely seven-thirty, and Chloe knows, from the quietness of the knock and the time precision that it's Beca.

When she opens the door, she's quite taken aback by how cute the younger girl looks in one of her signature plaid shirts, leather jacket, dark blue jeans and black biker boots. Chloe notes that Beca's makeup is lighter than usual, and it makes her steel-blue eyes stand out.

"Hi," she greets warmly, pressing a quick kiss to Beca's cheek, the move making the brunette flush.

"H-hey," Beca clears her throat and hands Chloe a bouquet of flowers. "For you."

Chloe raises an eyebrow in surprise as she takes the lilies in her hands.

"Thank you. You didn't have to get me flowers, Beca."

Beca winces and Chloe winces, too, though for different reasons, she imagines. Maybe she shouldn't have said that, because it seems to have given Beca a confidence complex.

"Is it," Beca stops mid-sentence and closes her eyes briefly, "Is it too much?"

"No, no, that's not what I meant. I was just being polite, I love that you got me flowers. They're beautiful."

"Oh," Beca puffs out. "Okay, cool."

Chloe bites down on her lips to stifle a laugh and to keep herself from telling Beca how cute she thinks the shorter girl is. The gesture doesn't go unnoticed by Beca who shoves her lightly.

"Shut up."

"I didn't say anything!" Chloe counters, barking out a laugh.

Beca challenges her with a quirked eyebrow.

"I didn't!"

Beca rolls her eyes and waves her hand towards the door.

"Come on."

Chloe hurries to get the flowers in some water and grabs her coat, beanie and scarf. The air that greets them outside is cold enough to make her shudder, and wrap her coat tighter around her, but then Beca grabs her hand with her glove-covered one and the touch alone suffices to warm up her entire body.

To her surprise, they end up at an Italian restaurant ten minutes away from campus. Chloe loves this place; it's her favorite restaurant in Barden, and she is aware Beca knows that, too. She wonders if Beca is fine with being here, though. From the way she squeaks out her name to the waiter for the reservation, Chloe doubts it. But she lets it slide and follows Beca to their table. The place is quite crowded as it's a Friday night, and the chatter around them is very much present.

Beca seems to be handling it well, until the waiter comes around to take their order. Chloe gives hers; basil and tomato pasta with garlic bread and a glass of white wine. When she looks up to glance at Beca, she finds the brunette tapping her fingers on the clothed table, and arranging her fork and knife so that they are perfectly aligned.

"Beca?" she asks cautiously, tilting her head to try and seek her gaze. When she doesn't get any eye-contact, she glances up to the waiter. "Can you give us a minute, please?"

The man smiles kindly, "Of course."

She waits until he's out of earshot and leans across the table, stilling Beca's fingers before they can arrange the cutlery some more. Chloe taps on the back of Beca's hand to pull her attention to her, but Beca keeps avoiding her eyes.

"We don't have to stay," she hints gently, thumb grazing Beca's knuckles.

"It's-" Beca sighs, her other hand curling into a fist as she battles to get words out.

Chloe knows what she's going to say; that it's Chloe's favorite restaurant, hence why they should stay.

"It's just a restaurant," Chloe replies to the unspoken statement. "I just want you to be comfortable, and I can tell that you're not. It doesn't matter to me where this date takes place. I just want to spend time with _you._ "

The disappointment etched in Beca's features makes Chloe's chest feel heavy.

"How about…" Beca's eyes finally meet hers hesitantly, "This place does take-away. How about we order something and go eat somewhere quieter?"

Beca manages a smile and a nod, and Chloe grins back.

She points at the menu, "Just tell me what you want, and I'll go order."

Once Beca has chosen, Chloe goes up to the counter to order their food and Beca insists on paying, not with her words, but by holding Chloe's flailing hands until she's managed to swipe her card in the device. Chloe huffs; the girl may be tiny, but she sure is strong.

"Alright, I'll pay next time, then," Chloe grumbles without really thinking about it, and her eyes widen slightly at her own presumption that there will be a next time.

Her racing heartbeat calms down when Beca kisses the apple of her cheek, as if to reassure her. Unsurprisingly, it works.

Fifteen minutes later, both girls walk back to campus, bags of food in hand, intending to eat their meal in Chloe's room, which is a tad bigger than Beca's and well, roommate-less.

"Oh, I have a better idea!" she exclaims, halfway to her dorm, and grabs Beca's hand to take her to the auditorium. It's where they first started hanging out after all, and one of the places where their relationship evolved.

She fishes out her key and opens the heavy door, letting Beca go in first. Chloe fetches a few cushions from the closet and arranges them on the floor next to the piano.

"Thank you," Beca says after they've sat down. "Here is better. And I'm sorry, I…I thought I could handle it."

"It's okay, Bec," Chloe replies with a wave of the hand, adding a wink for good measure before digging into the paper box containing her meal. "Bon appetit!"

Conversation flows once Beca has gotten her bearings back, and Chloe doesn't know why she was so nervous. She was Beca's friend before the date, and that makes conversing easier, as they have some knowledge about one another from the last three months. Still, it sounds like she has plenty more to learn about Beca.

"You want to move to LA?" Chloe asks, eyebrows raising in surprise.

Beca nods.

"My dad wants me to have an education first and join into the 'college life'," a sigh makes its way past her lips as she stabs a pasta with her fork. "He doesn't get it."

Chloe knows 'it' refers to Beca's inability to socialize.

"I'm sorry."

Beca shrugs, eyes falling to her finished meal.

"It's fine."

Chloe surges forward to grab Beca's hand and squeeze it.

"I hope you can make it out to LA. From what I heard on the flash drive, there's no doubt in my mind you'll be a hit out there."

"You…" Beca pauses, twisting her head to look at Chloe in awe. "You listened to it?"

_Duh._

"Of course I did! Your stuff is amazing. I wish you would let more people hear it."

The brunette adverts her eyes.

"Maybe one day."

Chloe chews on the last of her food and drops her fork into the paper container on the floor, "So I've been practicing my piano lessons this week, wanna hear it?"

That pulls a smile out of Beca, and the brunette nods, already moving to her feet. She extends a hand toward Chloe and helps her up, perhaps with too much force, and Chloe ends up colliding into her body. Beca catches her swiftly by the hips, eyes on Chloe's before they flick downwards to her lips.

"Hi," she whispers, leaning up to press her lips to Chloe's in a soft kiss.

Chloe's surprised by it, and about to melt into Beca for another kiss, but the latter pulls away before she can, swiftly moving to the piano. Beca sits on the bench and raises an eyebrow at the redhead.

"Well? I'm waiting. Show me what you got."

She's being cocky about the way she left Chloe hanging, and Chloe narrows her eyes, even though at least a dozen butterflies are now flapping away in her belly and make it difficult to hide her giddiness upon witnessing Beca being so at ease.

"Oh, I will."

She sits next to Beca, allowing herself to shuffle closer than she's ever done before when they played together, and hears Beca's breathing hitch. Chloe plays a few notes to get acquainted with the still unfamiliar instrument, before starting the song Beca has been teaching her. It's not perfect, she confuses a few notes in the chorus, but manages to get to the end of it without too much trouble.

"Good job," Beca comments, bumping her shoulder against Chloe's. "You're a fast learner."

"Usually happens when you have a good teacher," she replies coyly, bumping Beca's shoulder right back. "Your turn."

Beca nods and flexes her fingers to warm them up.

Chloe is not prepared for what is to come. She's heard Beca play countless of times over the last three months, but this piece is different, almost as if it was written specifically for Beca from the way her hands and body language flow so easily with the notes pulled from the instrument. Beca's fingers move with such delicacy and fluidity that Chloe can't help but watch them dance over the keys, completely entranced by their flawless ballet.

"That was…"

It's rare for Chloe to be rendered speechless, but it seems to happen more frequently whenever Beca is around, simply because Chloe doesn't have enough words to describe Beca and her talent.

"Who is it from?"

There's hesitation in Beca's steel eyes when they glance up at Chloe.

"Me."

"You-" Chloe feels her eyes widen and her jaw slack. "You write music, too?"

Beca shrugs nonchalantly, as if the masterpiece Chloe's just heard was some kind of plain ballad.

"Sometimes."

"Is there anything you're _not_ brilliant at?"

The rhetorical question has red rushing to meet Beca's cheeks and Chloe pulls her into a side hug, dropping a quick kiss on her head. Beca pulls away, twisting her upper body to face Chloe better. Chloe mirrors her just as Beca starts to play with her fingers.

"I really like you, Chlo," she starts, gaze struggling to focus on anything for more than a second. Eventually her dark-blue eyes meet Chloe's ocean ones, their intensity stilling Chloe's breathing for a beat. "It kind of scares me how much I like you."

Chloe finds her face falling a bit at the last statement.

"But the _good_ kind of scary," Beca quickly adds, noticing the redhead's unease. "The kind that makes me want to do stuff I've never done before, like-like meet your friends or-or go out to dinner. At my own pace."

Chloe feels her heart burst with happiness. She tilts Beca's chin up and gives her a warm smile.

"I really like you, too. And the pace you set is fine with me. We don't have to rush into anything one of us doesn't feel ready for."

Beca nods, lifting Chloe's hand and flipping it to kiss her palm.

"That sounds good."

She lets go of her hand, but Chloe lets it rest against Beca's neck, tugging slightly to bring her forward so she can kiss her. It's nothing like their first kiss; it's a bit bolder and more passionate, and mostly led by Beca, who seems to have conquered her fear and gained another ounce of confidence as she traces her tongue along the seam of Chloe's bottom lip.

"You're really good at that," Chloe's words ghost over Beca's lips when they part. She opens her eyes after several seconds, a bit dazed and out of breath. Beca smiles, tongue darting out to wet her lips, and Chloe finds herself mesmerized by the action.

Chloe closes the gap between them once more, not able to resist the insatiable urge to kiss Beca again, and again, and again, until her lips are numb and her lungs burn from the lack of oxygen.

//

Chloe goes home to Florida over Christmas break, while Beca spends it at Barden. She does ask Beca if she wants to come spend Christmas with her family, but Beca flat out refuses, stating they have only been dating for three weeks and how she feels that it's too soon.

"I should go," Chloe announces, checking her watch.

She's spent the afternoon with Beca while waiting to fly out to Miami in a couple hours.

Beca lifts her head from where's it's been resting on Chloe's lap while she read a book.

"Oh, okay."

Chloe sits up, "Are you sure you don't want to come with? It's not too late and I know my parents would be happy to have you over."

"They know about me?" Beca asks quietly, head twisting to the left to look at Chloe.

"Well, yeah," Chloe states in a tone that translates the obviousness of her answer.

Chloe's mother has known about Beca since that first class.

"Thanks for asking, but I'll stay here. Maybe I can go over next break."

Chloe understands, she really does, but she can't help but feel disappointed. Ten days without Beca is just going to be really hard.

"Sounds like a good plan."

Beca sits up, too, and reaches for something in her bedside table, pulling out a manila envelope and handing it to Chloe.

"What's this?" she asks, flipping it over in her hands.

"It's a sort of Christmas present," Beca admits sheepishly, avoiding eye contact in embarrassment. "Don't open it until the 25th, alright?"

Chloe shakes her head at her girlfriend.

"You didn't have to get me anything."

Beca shrugs and sits back down, laying a hand on Chloe's knee.

"I just wanted to."

Chloe grins and leans closer.

"You know I won't be able to wait three full days before I open it, right?"

Beca rolls her eyes. "At least wait until you're on the plane."

Chloe pecks Beca's lips.

"I can't promise anything," she laughs softly, kissing her again. Beca cups her jaw, keeping her there a moment longer.

Chloe moans, sitting back on her knees. She sets the envelope down and wraps her arms around Beca's neck, pulling her impossibly closer.

"I really need to go, baby," she says breathlessly after several minutes of just kissing. She can't help it; kissing Beca's intoxicating and has become her favorite thing to do these days.

"Then go," Beca challenges her, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Not fair," Chloe whines, closing the gap between she and Beca once more. She feels high. "Okay, I'm going!"

Chloe bounces up and off the bed, ties her shoes and grabs the envelope, stealing one last kiss in the process.

"Have a good Christmas!"

Beca smiles and kisses her again.

"You too, Chloe."

Chloe's in the back of a taxi on her way to the airport, Beca's gift is screaming to be opened next to her. After trying to keep her burning fingertips away, Chloe knows it's already a lost battle, and she reaches across the middle seat to seize it.

She slides the sheet out and blinks; it's an A4 format sketch of she and Beca, the precision in the pencil strokes leaving little doubt about the identity of the subjects. Beca's sitting against a tree, eyes closed, running her fingers through Chloe's hair as she reads _To Kill A Mockingbird_ , head resting in Beca's lap. Chloe remembers that day very clearly.

Her eyes run over every single detail, Beca's expression and hers and the nature surrounding them. She knew Beca drew. She has seen her do it lots of times whenever they went to their spot. She's just never realized how good she is. She flips the thick paper around to see a handwritten message.

_Thank you for being you._

_Merry Christmas, Chlo._

_Beca xx_

Blinking back the few tears that have gathered in her eyes, Chloe reaches for her cellphone and opens up their message thread.

**Oh my gosh, you've just made me cry in the back of a cab. I love your gift. Thank you! xx**

_You couldn't even wait to get to the airport? You're worse than a child, Beale. Glad you like it, though. You're welcome._

Chloe is so ridiculously in love, it's not even funny.

//

Chloe's bouncing on the balls of her feet as she waits for Beca to open the door. It's stretching toward six p.m. in Georgia on December 31st and she's standing outside of Beca's dorm, having caught a flight earlier than planned.

Beca opens the door, clad in pajamas, her hair sitting on top of her head in a messy bun. Her mouth falls open in an 'o' shape, and Chloe wastes no time in tackling her in a hug.

"Hi," Beca lets out, own arms wrapping around Chloe once she's regained her balance. "What-"

"I caught a flight early," Chloe explains when she backs away.

The rest can wait a few seconds, because all she wants to do is to kiss her girlfriend for the first time in eight days. So she does, deeply and fully, drawing what sounds like a content sigh from the other girl.

"I wanted to spend New Year's with you."

It does occur to her, now, that Beca may have other plans, and that maybe she shouldn't have come to the conclusion so quick that Beca would be free or willing to spend New Year's with her.

"Unless you already have plans?" she asks cautiously, shoulders slumping lightly in prospect of being disappointed.

Beca squeezes her hips, chuckling at the redhead standing before her.

"No plans."

"Cool!" she exclaims, moving past Beca to walk into the room. "So I first thought we could do something outside, like with really good coats, but it doesn't look like the storm is about to stop. So that got scratched. I called Aubrey and asked her if we could maybe use her apartment to cook something and have dinner there, since she's staying with her folks in Atlanta."

When she's done, Beca is looking at her with slightly wide eyes and a funny expression on her face.

"Okay."

"Sorry, I'm just excited!" the redhead stops talking long enough to catch her breath. "Anyways, Aubrey said ok, just no sex in her bed. Or on the couch, for that matter. Her words, not mine."

Beca squeaks, and Chloe grins mischievously. The small brunette visibly swallows before she nods.

"Got it."

"You're so cute when you're embarrassed," Chloe comments with a giggle, and when Beca glares at her, she presses an apologetic kiss to her lips. "I got you something."

Beca remains silent as Chloe unzips her bag and pulls out a small square box, handing it to Beca with a sheepish smile. Beca opens it to reveal a silver treble clef necklace.

"I know you don't wear much jewelry, but I thought about your relationship to music and our relationship to music, you know, since we met in a music-related class. And you're basically one with music, so I thought it was fitting. I chose a bass clef because y'know, mixing and stuff," Chloe pauses when Beca looks at her blankly. "Is it lame? Oh my god, it's so lame."

"No," Beca says simply, eyes softening, leaning up to kiss the redhead softly, "I really like it. Thank you."

Wordlessly, she hands the necklace to Chloe and turns around, gathering her hair over one shoulder. Chloe takes both ends between her fingers and lifts it above Beca's head, before fastening it around her neck.

"There," she murmurs, tentatively leaning down to kiss Beca's bare collarbone. Beca leans back into her and she snakes her arms around her waist. "Merry belated Christmas, sweetie."

//

Chloe's hand has just skimmed beneath Beca's shirt, caressing the skin of her lower back, when a knock on the door springs them both apart. Chloe takes in Beca's appearance; glasses a bit askew, swollen lips and disheveled hair.

"Hang on," Chloe whispers with a giggle, beckoning Beca over to her. She rights Beca's glasses, pats down her hair and runs her thumb over Beca's bottom lip where her own lipstick has left a smudge. "All good."

Chloe remains on Beca's bed as the brunette moves to open the door.

"Hello, Beca," a male voice, belonging to a man around fifty, can be heard on the other side, and Chloe sees the visible side of Beca's face fall. The shorter woman moves aside, and Chloe straightens up, suddenly feeling very self-conscious about her state as Dr. Mitchell, her literature teacher waltzes into the room. He pauses when he sees her, surprise evident on his face. "Ms. Beale, I didn't expect seeing you here."

Chloe has never made the connection between Beca and Dr. Mitchell until now, and feels very stupid. From the way Beca's suddenly closed off on herself, gaze fastened on the floor, it's obvious that the man standing in front of her is Beca's father.

"Hello, Dr. Mitchell," she clears her throat and runs a hand through her hair, hoping its state doesn't scream 'you almost just walked in on your daughter and I having sex'. "Beca was just helping me with an acapella arrangement for the Bellas."

She figures the white lie is better than telling her teacher she's been dating his daughter for the last month and a half. She doesn't know how much he knows about his daughter's sexuality.

"Mmm," Dr. Mitchell hums and turns to his daughter. "So that's why you got a B on your paper in biology? Because you spend too much time helping an acapella group?"

His tone is dry and cold, and Chloe's heart aches for Beca as she stands there, eyes locked on the carpet. Chloe remembers how Beca was supposed to study for that test before Christmas break, but Chloe bribed her into drinking hot chocolate and watching Netflix instead. Beca was reluctant, and now Chloe understands why. Her father is the one pressuring her into getting excellent grades, and a B must not be enough for him.

"Answer me when I ask you a question, Beca."

Chloe's fists curl by her sides, nails digging into her palms.

"I'm sorry," Beca's voice is so small that Chloe's ears have to strain to make it out.

Dr. Mitchell spins around to face Chloe.

"Ms. Beale, I'd like to have a discussion with my daughter, if you could step out."

Leaving Beca alone is the last thing Chloe wants. But then again, she can't really stand up to a member of the faculty. Chloe nods, and moves to gather her stuff, but just as she walks past them, Beca grabs her elbow, stilling her. Chloe's eyes are full of questions when she glances at Beca, but finds her staring at her father defiantly.

"She stays."

Chloe turns back around and stands beside her girlfriend, surprised when Beca grabs her hand and links their fingers together. The exchange is not left unnoticed by Dr. Mitchell, who raises an eyebrow.

"Very well," he sighs, the muscle in his jaw jumping as he clenches his teeth. "I'm disappointed, Beca. First you reject a full scholarship to Yale because of your 'problem'."

Beca visibly finches at the use of air quotes.

"And now you get B's. What's next, you're gonna drop out?"

Chloe keeps telling herself that the man in front of her is one of her teachers, and she can't do much to make him shut up, even though she wants to so badly. The only thing she can do is squeeze Beca's hand to show her she is there. The person currently standing next to her is the polar opposite to the Beca that she's grown to love over the past month. She's straining to maintain eye-contact, and isn't being very receptive to the situation, as if her brain decided to check out from the real world.

"I expect you to do better. B's are not acceptable."

Chloe sets her jaw to prevent the words dying to get out of her clumsy mouth, but enough is enough. Just as Dr. Mitchell is about to step out, she spins on her heels.

"Are you maybe interested to know your daughter is doing much better on the social side?" she asks sharply, tone matching Dr. Mitchell's cold one. "Because when I met her, she wouldn't speak, at _all_ , and now she's doing better every single day. But I guess what matters to you only are her grades, right?"

Dr. Mitchell's hand stills on the doorknob, and he looks back at Chloe.

"I don't think this is any of your business, Ms. Beale. I don't know who you are to my daughter, best friend, girlfriend or whatever, but this is between my _daughter_ and I. I suggest you stay out of it."

He leaves before Chloe can utter another word, and the redhead is left fuming, staring at the now shut door. A sob coming from her right pulls her out of her turmoil of anger, and she cuts her eyes to Beca, who looks as if she's trying hard not to curl into a ball and cry. Chloe pulls her into a loose embrace, running her hands up and down her back and talks Beca through her panic attack.

"It's okay, Bec," she whispers into her ear when she runs out of subjects to talk about, pressing a soft kiss to any skin she can get to. "You're okay."

It takes long minutes for Beca to be able to go back to her comfort zone, where she can speak to Chloe without too much trouble.

"You shouldn't have stood up for me," Beca tells Chloe once they have moved back on her bed. "He's your teacher, this could have serious consequences on your grades."

"I don't care," Chloe shrugs, thumb running in a circle over Beca's wrist. "If you think I was about to let him bring you down without saying anything, you still have a lot to learn about me."

"I wish I could stand up to him," Beca murmurs hoarsely. "I wish I could speak my mind whenever he brings me down. The words are all there on my mind, but it's like there's a barrier from my brain to my mouth."

"You will, one day," Chloe assures her, chin resting on Beca's shoulder as she sits beside the brunette. "You've already made such a big improvement and I'm so, _so_ proud of you."

"I love you," Beca's voice is clear and void of any hesitation. "I just…I love you."

Chloe wasn't expecting Beca to say it first, then again, she wasn't expecting Beca to be the one to ask her on a date a month ago, either. And while she has been dying to express her love for Beca, the last thing she wanted was to freak the younger girl out.

"I love you, too."

A heavy weight lifts itself from her chest as she closes the gap between herself and Beca, capturing her lips in a deep kiss, that is hopefully proof enough of all the love she holds inside of her for the brunette.

The kiss rapidly evolves into something that Chloe isn't sure she'll be able to tame. Her desire for Beca has steadily grown over the last few weeks, a low fire slowly consuming in the pit of her stomach. As Beca traces her tongue over her bottom lip, Chloe feels her control slip away from her reach.

"Beca," Chloe breathes out after long minutes of frantic kissing, setting her forehead against the brunette. Beca's hand has slipped underneath her blouse, and Chloe's fingers have managed to unbutton Beca's shirt, as if they were on auto-pilot. "I…"

She's afraid of doing something Beca isn't ready for, but god, does she want to take that next step.

"It's okay," Beca whispers, locking eyes with Chloe. "I want _this_ ; I want _you._ "

Beca's voice is low and husky, in a way that Chloe has never heard before and it makes something snap within her, her eyes becoming heavily hooded as she gazes back at Beca. Pieces of clothing are shed one by one, the only sounds in the palpable atmosphere being those of slow kissing and labored breathing. They take their time, mapping out each other's bodies with intensified tenderness and precision.

Chloe has never experienced this before; she has been with a fair amount of people intimately, but never like this. Never has her desire to give pleasure to someone been so heightened as it is in this moment. She wants to give it all to Beca, not caring if she doesn't get anything in return.

Watching Beca come undone is the most beautiful and arousing scene she has ever witnessed. And Beca, well, she reciprocates in a way that leaves Chloe suspended in mid-air, as if on the edge of a cliff until she falls, fast and steady into Beca's arms with a cry.

//

 **From:** Becs

_Hi._

Chloe's phone lights up on her bed as she tries to finish her book. There's a snow storm raging outside and she's been cooked up in her room since lunch. She glances down and smiles, typing a quick reply,

 **Hey, you** **:)**

_Can I come over?_

Chloe rolls her eyes good naturedly. She's told Beca countless times she doesn't have to ask to come over.

**Of course! Door's open.**

It's another seven minutes, approximately the time it takes to walk from Baker Hall to Chloe's dorm, before the door opens and Beca walks in. Chloe watches as she takes her shoes off, tucking them neatly next to her nightstand, takes off her coat to place it on her desk chair, before she wordlessly climbs into Chloe's bed.

Chloe chuckles when Beca molds herself into her side, one leg hooking over hers and right arm draping itself over her midsection. Chloe lets go of her book to hold it with one hand, nudging Beca lightly so she can free her arm and wrap it around the brunette's back. Beca sighs and rests her head against Chloe's chest.

"Hi," the redhead whispers, dropping a kiss into Beca's hair. Beca doesn't answer but kisses the bit of Chloe's skin sticking out from her zipped sweater, her own way of saying hello. "You okay?"

She feels Beca shrug against her side, but knows better than to ask her what's wrong; Beca always ends up telling her about it in her own time. She taps Chloe's open book and Chloe gets the message.

She reads out loud for the next half-hour, fingers trailing up and down Beca's spine, and gradually feels the tension leave Beca's body as it slumps against hers.

"Do you want to go out for a hot chocolate?" Chloe asks after a while, voice getting tired from reading out loud. Her nodes have been bothering her lately, making it difficult for her to talk over long stretches of time.

"Not really," Beca mumbles, toying with the hem of Chloe's shirt sticking out from her sweater by her hip. "Can we stay here?"

"Sure," Chloe replies. "Do you want to talk about what's bothering you? If you don't, that's fine, but I think it would help?"

"It's stupid." Beca admits, but the tone in her voice indicates that it's far from stupid. Her hand curls into a fist against Chloe's hip.

"I'll be the judge of that," Chloe says, prompting Beca into sitting up so they can face one another.

Beca sighs as she starts to fiddle with Chloe's fingers.

"There's this internship opening up at Barden radio station to handle the night shifts on weekends. The WBUJ."

Chloe squeezes Beca's fingers. "Yeah, I've heard of it."

"I emailed the guy, Luke, and he told me to stop by today, and I did but," Beca clenches her teeth repeatedly, her jaw muscle jumping back and forth. "He called me _Becky_ , and I couldn't even correct him, yet alone tell him anything else about me, so I left."

An exasperated breath leaves her mouth.

"He-he must think I'm a freak."

"I'm sure he doesn't," Chloe says reassuringly, and Beca rolls her eyes, reaching up to wipe a tear from the corner of her eyes. "I know Luke and he's a super nice guy. Do you want me to go back with you?"

"No, Chloe."

There's a tint of frustration in Beca's voice as she breaks eye-contact to look at her lap.

"I can't have you hold my hand every time I want to go outside and have a freaking conversation with someone else. I just…" Beca pinches the bridge of her nose and blows out another long breath. "I'm sorry, I'm just frustrated and disappointed. I thought I was doing better."

"You are," Chloe insists, untangling her fingers from Beca's to cup her cheek. "You couldn't speak to me the way you are now two _months_ ago. If that's not progress, then I don't know what is."

Beca gets the job two days later, and even though it's a struggle to leave for work on the weekends, Choe is glad she is able to make her mixes public and show all of Barden how talented she is.

//

When March and more bearable temperatures come around, Chloe and Beca go back to their spot up the hill almost every night, either to play music, read or, in Beca's case, draw.

"Quit moving," Beca says sternly, though her tone is not very believable as she's struggling not to smile.

"Sorry," Chloe whispers with a sheepish grin, angling her head to how it's supposed to be. Beca has been drawing a portrait of Chloe for the last half hour, and Chloe finds it difficult not to look at her; the way her tongue sticks out when she's focused is just adorable. "Are you almost done?"

She can't see it in the corner of her eyes, but she knows Beca is rolling her eyes at her child-like impatience.

"You asked me two minutes ago and I said no," she says with a chuckle, rubbing her pointer finger on the paper to smudge the lines. "I want it to be perfect so that it reflects the subject."

Chloe is now the one to roll her eyes, although her grin is about to split her goddamn face.

"Smooth."

She glances at Beca just in time to catch her winking and feels her heart thud against her chest.

"Hey, Bec?"

Beca hums, just as she always does when Chloe calls her while she's focused on something.

"You know I'm graduating at the end of this year, right?"

Beca's pencil movements still, and Chloe snaps out of her portrait mode to look at her girlfriend.

"I know."

"I applied to a few schools in Georgia and some out of state," she starts. "And I just got the answer yesterday that I'm accepted at Barden's vet school."

Beca's eyes light up, her face gradually regaining color.

"You are?"

"Yeah," Chloe says nonchalantly, a smile slipping across her face.

Beca drops her drawing book and all but tackles Chloe into a hug that nearly crushes her chest. Then, soft lips seek hers in a deep and slow kiss. They are both breathless when Beca pulls away, her hand finding Chloe's jaw,

"I'm so proud of you."

Chloe squeezes Beca's waist.

"Thanks, baby."

She takes a deep breath, and reaches to push a strand of Beca's hair away from her face.

"I was meaning to ask you," Chloe hesitates, the words catching in her throat as her brain struggles to take the leap. "If you would like to move in with me in August? I have to leave my dorm and plan on finding an apartment in the city, halfway between here and the vet school, which is thirty minutes away. I know we've only been together five months so I get that it might be too soon, and I understand if you're not ready for-"

Chloe's rant is cut off by a kiss that knocks the air out of her. She laughs against Beca's lips.

"I take that as a yes?"

"I want to live with you," Beca says, however Chloe senses there is a 'but' somewhere. "I'll have to ask my dad first, though; it's not like I can afford an apartment on my own."

"Of course," Chloe nods. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No," Beca replies with rare certainty. "I have to try and do this on my own."

//

"There's a party tomorrow night, the girls and I are going," Chloe says from her spot on Beca's bed after having turned the subject over and over in her head before speaking up. "Do you want to come? They'd like to meet you."

Beca looks up from her computer, lowering her headphones until they hang around her neck. She spins her desk chair around, her fingers fiddling with the pen she's holding.

"I-I don't know, Chlo."

Chloe gives her a soft smile of encouragement and shuffles to the edge of the mattress until her bare feet touch the floor.

"Maybe it would be good for you. You only hang out with me, and I think it would be nice for you to know other people. The girls are so nice, I promise."

"Chloe," the muscle in Beca's jaw snaps as she inhales sharply through her clenched teeth. "They can be as nice as freaking Ghandi, it's not them the problem. _I'm_ the problem. The fact that they are nice is not going to change anything to the fact that I can't _speak_."

"Bec,"

Beca cuts her off sharply, "Can you drop it?"

Chloe didn't expect Beca to react so strongly, and immediately regrets asking the question. She thought that the evolvement in their relationship would make Beca trust her enough to come to a party with her. But that seems to be much too tall of a mountain for Beca to climb, still.

"Baby, please calm down," Chloe closes her eyes briefly, trying to find the right words. "I didn't mean to upset you, I'm just trying to help out."

Beca's gaze is cold when she glances at Chloe.

"Throwing me into the lion's den isn't going to help."

"Okay, okay," Chloe takes a deep breath, moving to stand up and make her way to Beca's desk. "I think this is blowing out of proportion."

"What did you expect me to say?"

Beca's tone is harsh, its nails clawing at Chloe's heart.

"Yes, I'll come to the party? So I can stay glued to your side the entire time or on my own in a corner?" Tears gather in Beca's eyes as Chloe blinks several times to clear her vision, too. "I can barely speak to you when we're in public, for fuck's sake!"

Beca's voice wavers dangerously, and the break in her speech is enough to make the tears in Chloe's eyes topple over the rim of her eyelids and down her cheeks.

"I'm messed up."

The four words convey enough force to snap Chloe's heart into two. It's the most awful thing she could ever hear Beca say about herself, and feels guilty about being the trigger to it. She takes the few strides separating her from her girlfriend and swiftly moves into Beca's lap, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Please don't say that." A sob rings out in the room and Chloe honestly doesn't know if it comes from her or from Beca. "You're _not_ messed up, I forbid you to say that."

Chloe pulls away gently, swiping her thumbs over Beca's cheeks.

She leans in to kiss her forehead, "You're so talented," her nose, "And smart," both cheeks, "And beautiful," and her lips. "And I'm so in love with you."

Beca eventually returns the embrace, and buries her face in Chloe's neck, shuffling as close as physically possible to the redhead. They remain this way for quite some time, until Beca stops shaking.

"I'm sorry," Beca whispers after a while, absentmindedly playing with Chloe's thumb ring. "I didn't mean to lash out."

Chloe's hand is running up and down her spine in a soothing motion.

"It's okay. The party isn't important."

"I'll go," Beca's voice is hesitant after a minute of silence, and so are her eyes when she finally casts them up from their joined hands. "You're right. I should get out there."

Chloe smiles proudly. She cups Beca's face to get the brunette to look at her, "I understand if you're not ready. But I'll be there. When you decide to leave, we'll leave, 'k?"

Beca leans up to kiss Chloe and draws in a shaky breath.

"Okay."

When Saturday night comes around, Beca is such a fidgeting mess that Chloe seriously ponders if going to a party is a good idea after all. She's finishing getting ready and can hear Beca's fingers tap against her jean-clad thigh in a quick rhythm as she sits on the bed. Her other hand is toying with the necklace Chloe got her for Christmas.

Chloe turns off the bathroom lights and makes her way over to Beca.

"You-" Beca grimaces, throat bobbing up and down as she swallows. She closes her eyes and clenches her fists, unable to continue her sentence.

"Hey," Chloe's voice pulls Beca's attention to her. She kneels in front of the shorter woman and gently uncurls her fist to lace their fingers. "It's just me."

Beca's shoulders slump as she lets out a puff of breath, features relaxing. She smiles tentatively and reaches up to brush back a strand of Chloe's hair.

"You look nice."

"Thanks, babe. So do you," she says, eyeing Beca up and down with a wiggle of the eyebrows that makes Beca blush. "We don't have to go if you don't want to."

"No, I want to go," Beca replies, taking a deep breath. "I want to meet your friends."

"They'll love you!" Chloe gushes, standing back up and pulling Beca along with her. Beca can't help but grin sheepishly, quirking an eyebrow.

"What's not to like?"

And Chloe relaxes instantly. Beca using sarcasm is her way of showing she's okay.

There aren't many people when they get to the party, as it's fairly early, and only a handful of the Bellas are there: Aubrey, Stacie and Cynthia-Rose.

"Hey guys!" Chloe greets, coming to a stop in front of her group of friends and introducing Beca.

Beca waves at all of them and flushes when they say they heard so much about her, eyes flickering to Chloe who is literally beaming in response.

"Beer?" Chloe asks once presentations are taken care of.

Beca nods, and Chloe kisses her lightly before taking the direction of the kitchen. She comes back with two beers and watches in concern as Beca takes four huge swigs.

"Slow down there, buddy. You may be short, but I'm not carrying you back to your dorm."

"Sorry," Beca breathes out, face falling.

"I'm just teasing," she murmurs lightly. "I'll carry you pretty much anywhere if I need to. You're basically pocket sized anyway."

As the party draws to its peak, Chloe starts to relax. Beca doesn't talk much, but still participates in conversations with body language, and the Bellas are very patient with her. It's not until the mixing board is left vacant that she witnesses a real smile spread over Beca's lips and her features lighting up.

As soon as Beca starts to mix, the chatter slows down, each person in the room suddenly hypnotized by the sounds drifting from the speakers. Chloe feels pride settle in her chest watching Beca basically own it. She meets Aubrey's gaze a couple feet away and the blonde has an impressed look on her face. Chloe so badly wants to go over there, and tell her 'I told you so', that Beca is more than meets the eye.

When they get back to Chloe's room, _Chloe_ is a bit tipsy and Beca is the one half carrying her to bed.

"Did you have a good time?" she asks, frowning slightly as Beca pulls her boot off while she sits on the mattress.

"For the third time in the last five minutes, yes," Beca says with warm eyes, struggling not to laugh at her girlfriend's inebriated state. "It was alright."

"Everybody looooooved you," Chloe gushes, running her hands over Beca's hair as she kneels before her to take her other shoe off. "Aubrey was pretty impressed with your mixing skills."

Beca simply smiles back, and leans up to peck Chloe's lips. She stands to help Chloe out of her jacket but Chloe takes the opportunity to wrap her arms around Beca's waist before she can, her chin pressing against Beca's abs as she strains her neck up to look at her.

" _I_ love you, too. More than anyone else."

Beca cups her face, thumb running back and forth over the apple of her cheek as Chloe leans further into the touch.

"I know."

"Good," Chloe says with satisfaction, giving Beca a firm nod. "Now come and sleep with me."

She means actual sleeping, but her wording has Beca quirk an eyebrow, "You are awfully demanding when you're drunk."

"Yep," Chloe replies matter-of-factly, moving to kneel on the bed so she's level with Beca. She drapes her arms over Beca's shoulders, pressing her forehead against the brunette. "You love it."

Beca leans in to peck her lips, smirking.

"Can't say I don't."

//

The following week, just as Chloe is grabbing her stuff after her literature class, Dr. Mitchell calls her up to his desk, asking if they can talk. They haven't interacted at all since his visit to Beca's dorm a few weeks ago, and Chloe dreads the conversation that is to come.

Dr. Mitchell waits for the last person to leave the classroom and shuts the door behind them. He turns to Chloe, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck.

"Look, I just wanted to apologize."

Chloe's eyebrows nearly reach her hairline in surprise.

"I got a visit from my daughter yesterday, and I truly saw how much her condition improved since the last time we really spoke, which was when she started college six months ago. I can see she's very happy, and I guess you have a lot to do with that, so I apologize for the way I spoke to you."

"Thank you," Chloe says, giving him a short smile in an attempt to hide her surprise. "As much as I appreciate it, I think the one you should be apologizing to is Beca. She's very insecure about what you think of her and gives her all to make you proud."

"Right," Dr. Mitchell nods, pursing his lips. "Do you think she would accept if I invited you both to dinner sometime next week?"

The fact that Beca's dad asks _her_ this question tells a lot about their strained relationship.

Chloe nibbles on her bottom lip.

"I can't really speak for Beca. You'll have to ask her. _I_ think it's a good idea, but it has to be the start of something sustainable. Beca doesn't trust easily, so with all due respect sir, if you give her hope of a normal relationship and don't follow up, she will be heartbroken."

"She wants that?" he asks, and Chloe notices his voice wavering ever so slightly. "She wants to spend time with me?"

"I think so. She's just not sure you do, though."

"Shit," Dr Mitchell lets out, rubbing his forehead. "I-I didn't know. I thought she was closed on the subject."

"It's never too late. She's forgiving, so if you prove yourself to her, she'll learn to trust you again."

"Thank you, Ms. Beale. I'll call her tonight."

"Try texting rather than calling," Chloe states, gathering her stuff up into her arms. "Talking on the phone gives her anxiety, she might not pick up."

Beca gets a text that evening, while she and Chloe are cooking dinner in the common room.

Chloe tries to hide her smile when Beca invites her to join her dad for dinner the following day.

//

They barely make it to Nationals. They are saved last minute because of a breech in the rules by another acapella group. Chloe should be relieved, but deep down she knows they won't win with their current setlist.

She needs to tell Aubrey about this, but the blonde beats her to it after practice, a month from the ICCA's.

"This-this isn't working," Aubrey stutters out, dropping her head into her hand. "We're not going to win with this."

Chloe puffs out a breath, glad that she doesn't have to tell Aubrey that herself.

"What are we going to do?!" Aubrey snaps, slamming her hand down onto the piano surface. "This is a disaster."

"I may have an idea, but I need to speak to someone first before I broach it to you."

After practice, Chloe joins Beca up the hill like they agreed during the day. Beca's drawing when she gets there, so Chloe plops down next to her and rests her head over Beca's shoulder. She watches the pencil outline the landscape Beca has chosen today, before she speaks,

"I need your help," she says, and it might not be the best opener, because Beca nearly drops the items she's holding and looks at Chloe with panic-filled eyes.

"Are you hurt?"

"No, no," she laughs lightly and leans in to kiss Beca in reassurance, that she is in fact, just fine. "The Bellas and I need your help. Aubrey's _just_ realized that our current setlist won't work for Nationals. We need something fresh, something original. Like a mash-up! And I don't know anyone who blends songs better than you."

"Oh," Beca puffs out. She doesn't say anything for the next excruciating long minute, and Chloe is afraid she might refuse. "I'd need to hear you sing. All of you."

"Well, we have practice tomorrow night. Can you make it?"

Beca looks at her curiously.

"Will it just be you guys?"

"Yeah, of course."

"O-okay."

Beca makes them a killer set-list for the ICCA's that, if they pull it off, will have them win by a mile against the ten other contestants. Chloe asks Beca if she wants to come, but the brunette declines, stating something about too many people. Chloe doesn't have it in her to insist, even though she really wishes Beca would be there to watch them own it.

In Fat Amy's words, they crush it. Chloe's has never felt on such a high during and after a performance; she still feels giddy all over. When they get back backstage, they hug it out for several minutes, and Chloe really doesn't think it can get any better, until she feels someone tap on her shoulder and she spins around to find her girlfriend staring right back at her.

Beca lets out a quiet grunt when Chloe pulls her in for a bone crushing hug.

"What are you doing here?!"

"Surprise?" She manages with a small smile, eyes darting about before they set back on Chloe. "I-I watched from backstage."

"How did you even get here?" she asks, but doesn't really care. Beca is here, and she's about to win the ICCA's, and everything just feels... _perfect_. Beca still doesn't look very at ease, and it shows in her speaking flow, but Chloe is patient about it.

"Jesse…" she says lowly. "He snuck me in."

"Jesse, the Treble?"

"Y-yeah. We work together at the station. We're kind of friends."

Chloe doesn't know Jesse very well, but he seems sweet and the kind of person that is patient enough to let Beca go at her own pace.

"Does that mean I'll have to share you from now on?" Chloe asks with a quirked eyebrow, arms leaving Beca's waist to set her hands onto her own hips.

Beca isn't having any of it, and loops her arms through the space between Chloe's waist and her bent arms, wrapping themselves around her back.

"Maybe a little bit."

"I'm very happy you're here," Chloe whispers, catching Beca's lips in a quick kiss. Beca flushes and looks around them. "And I'm proud of you for being here."

"Thanks," Beca whispers, and Chloe's feels her fingers dance over the small of her back. "You were amazing, Chlo."

"Thanks, baby."

"Beca?" Chloe recognizes her best friend's voice behind her, and turns around as Beca lets her go, "I just wanted to thank you for your brilliant set. You truly gave the Bellas a new vibe."

Beca's blush is intensifying by the second.

"Welcome."

"Can I hug you?" Aubrey asks cautiously, and Chloe has to stifle a laugh when Beca's eyes widen ever so slightly. The brunette eventually nods, and Aubrey gives her the briefest of hugs.

"Thanks again!"

They win, and while Chloe wants to go out and celebrate with everyone, she also really wants to take Beca home so they can have their private celebration.

So that's exactly what she does.


	3. Chapter 3

"Chloe Beale."

The redhead beams, quickly adjusting the cap over her head before walking across the stage to accept her diploma and shake the dean's hand.

There's a group of people hollering and whistling in the crowd, and Chloe twists her head to wink at the Bellas, who all came to her graduation ceremony.

She resists the urge to go over to them now, and sits impatiently back in her seat for the rest of the ceremony.

She's officially a vet.

It's both scary and exciting, and Chloe can't believe how fast the last three years went by.

Three years of hectic classes and brain-cramming. Three years of academic ups and downs. Three years of night shifts and early wake-up calls.

But also…

Three years of being blissfully in love with her girlfriend, Beca. Three more years with the Bellas (as coach) and three ICCA wins.

Chloe is engulfed in hugs from all places as soon as the ceremony is over. Her mother cries, and her father can't seem to stop smiling and her two brothers hoist her up over their shoulders despite her squeals of protest.

They set Chloe down after a picture and Chloe catches Beca walking to her. The brunette is holding a bouquet of sun flowers in her right hand, and a teddy bear with a cap on it in the left. She hands them to Chloe with a shy grin, before pulling her into a hug.

"Congratulations, baby," is whispered into her ear. Chloe feels Beca nuzzle the nook in her cheek before pressing her lips there. "I'm _so_ proud of you."

Chloe pulls away and shoves Beca's presents in one of her brothers' arms, before her hand drifts up to cup Beca's face, tugging her into the kiss she has wanted to give her since they parted this morning. Beca melts into her, lips moving swiftly against Chloe's, until she seems to realize they have an audience and shily pulls away.

There's a collection of _aws_ and _get it girl_ that make Beca's face turn to the same shade as Chloe's hair. She dips her head down, letting her hair hide her face from everyone. Chloe giggles and pulls her into her side, dropping a quick kiss into her hair that has Beca mock-sputtering.

"Stop embarrassing her," Chloe's mother chastises with a tut. "How are you Beca?"

Beca gives a wave. "I'm good, thank you, Mrs. Beale."

The older woman rolls her eyes. "How many times have I told you to call me Helen?"

Beca lets out a nervous laugh as she leans further into Chloe's side. "Right, sorry, Helen."

Chloe's dad wraps Beca into a tight hug, so do her brothers afterwards and Chloe is afraid she might suffocate any second now if she isn't released. Her heat soars at how comfortable Beca is around her family, and how her family took Beca as one of their own from their first meeting seven months into their relationship.

It was a bit rocky at first as Beca hadn't been able to properly speak during the first meal at the Beale house, but Chloe's family had been very patient and hadn't pushed her.

Beca sends Chloe a reassuring smile and tugs on her hand, lacing their fingers together as they walk to the restaurant.

"You should have seen it dad, that goal was amazing," Chloe's elder brother, Michael, describes animatedly his last soccer game over coffee.

"What about you, Beca, any plans after graduation?"

Chloe chooses to tune her brother out and focus on her mother's question, ears peaking in interest. They haven't really talked about what Beca would do after graduation because of their hectic schedule over the last few months.

"No, not really. A producer called me to say he was interested in my work but… I don't know. Our life is here in Atlanta."

Chloe frowns at that. She's sure she would remember such an important piece of information if Beca had told her about it. Her head whips around so fast that she things she might have pulled something in her neck.

"What?" she croaks out, voice seemingly stuck somewhere in her throat. "A producer called you?"

"Um, yeah. But it's in LA."

So is Beca's dream, and she hasn't even thought about telling Chloe about the opportunity.

"In _LA_?" she inquires, trying to keep her tone free of the hurt slowly spreading in her chest. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Beca blinks when she looks up at her, fingers already blindly fiddling with a piece of cutlery. "You have that job lined up for in Atlanta and…"

Chloe can't believe what she's hearing. She can be a vet anywhere in the country, while most successful producers are based in LA. Not to mention that Beca has been set on going to LA since they met.

"You should have told me," she tells Beca quietly. Her voice isn't heard by the others over her brother's loud tale while her mother is pretending like she's not listening to give them some sense of privacy. "We could have talked about it."

"Chlo," Beca's tone is pleading, but Chloe is too upset to acknowledge it.

"Later, baby," she says lightly, tapping Beca's fingers gently, and turning her head to follow the rest of the conversation before Beca can say anything back.

It's much later when they get back to their apartment. Chloe dropped her family back at their hotel and the car ride back was eerily silent as Beca shot side glances to Chloe but didn't dare say anything.

"Chloe," Beca attempts once more as soon as the door clicks shut behind them. Chloe spins around, crossing her arms over her chest with a heavy frown.

"Los Angeles, Beca?!" she says, perhaps a bit louder than she intended do. Beca recoils, but Chloe chooses to ignore it. She's upset and ignores the fact that Beca's body language becomes irregular, an unmistakable telltale sign that she's on a verge of a panic attack. "Why would you keep something like that from me?"

"I..I," Beca takes a deep breath, screwing her eyes shut for a second, fists curling by her sides. "I don't know, you have an amazing job offer here, too."

"I can be a vet _anywhere_ , Beca," Chloe states coldly, letting her hands drop and slap her thighs. "Your _dream_ is to go to LA."

"It-it wasn't official or-or anything," Beca explains, gaze focusing on anywhere but Chloe as she transfers her weight from one foot to the other. "It might not lead to anything serious."

"You don't _know_ that," Chloe states the fact, raising an eyebrow at Beca. She realizes her tone is a bit harsh, but she only wants what's best for her girlfriend. "But you still turned it down without talking to me about it when it could be a dream opportunity."

The brunette remains silent, eyes fastened on the floor and it infuriates Chloe even more. She huffs and walks to the door.

"Where-where are you going?"

"For a walk."

Beca is shaking her head restlessly, eyes slightly wider as they bore into Chloe while the redhead gathers her keys and wallet, just in case. She might go for a drive after all. "What-no, don't, don't _leave_."

She pecks Beca's lips quickly, as a testament that they're fine. "I'll be back soon."

"Chloe-"

Chloe closes the door and takes a deep breath. She doesn't know how long she drives for; long enough to think about her future, and Beca's. About Atlanta and LA. About moving or staying.

She comes back two hours later to a quiet apartment. Beca's laptop and headphones are still on the coffee table in the same spot they were when Chloe left. Beca's jacket is uncharacteristically thrown over the couch instead if its usual spot on the hook by the door.

Everything about the setting makes a red flag go off in Chloe's brain.

"Bec?" Chloe leaves her keys by the door and shrugs off her own jacket. She takes the direction of their bedroom and opens the door gently, suppressing a gasp as she does.

Their bedroom looks like a tornado swept through it. The bedside table lamp lies on the floor in two pieces, the things that had been on the desk in the corner of the room lay sprawled out on the carpet floor and the desk chair is upside down.

Beca lies on her side, facing away from the entrance, body shaking with silent sobs.

Chloe swallows with difficulty and takes off her shoes before climbing onto the bed behind her girlfriend. Her palm lies around Beca's hipbone while her body curls against her back.

"Bec, baby?"

Beca turns onto her back slowly, red and puffy eyes meeting Chloe's. "Y-you-you-"

Chloe finds Beca's hand and squeezes her fingers. "Take your time."

"You _left_."

Chloe's breathing halts in her throat, a wave of sudden guilt washing over her. She knew deep down that her leaving in the middle of an argument would have its set of consequences, but she was too angry and selfish to care.

"I'm sorry," she murmurs lowly, breath ghosting over Beca's skin as she nuzzles her temple. "I needed time to think."

Beca's fingers snap the elastic on her wrist repeatedly as she avoids Chloe's eyes. "Are we, are we breaking-up?"

" _What?_ " Chloe's eyes widen dramatically. A humorless laugh flies from her mouth as she pulls away to seek Beca's fleeting gaze. "No, we're not breaking up, what makes you say that?"

"I don't know, I," Beca sighs, fiddling with the hem of Chloe's shirt as her body stirs into her. "I made you upset and you _left,_ and I thought… nevermind."

"Bec, I love you," she says first, because it feels like the most important thing to clear up right now. "Yes, I was upset, and I'm still upset that you didn't think the news was worth sharing but… I just want what's best for you."

She reaches up to brush a strand of hair back from the brunette's face. "And I think you should seize the opportunity to go to LA, even if it's only for a small job. It will still get you a foot through the door."

Beca looks up at her with uncertain eyes. "What about your job? It's an amazing opportunity, too."

Chloe has been offered a position in a very respectable clinic in Atlanta, one that only few freshly graduates could hope for.

"Like I said, there are animals in LA, too. I'll figure something out. Do you think that producer of yours will still be interested?"

Beca shrugs. "I have to call him back but… are you sure?"

Chloe leans in to kiss her, hopefully to chase Beca's worries away. "As long as I'm with you, I'm sure."

"I love you," Beca says softly, resting her forehead against Chloe's. She leans in to press a kiss to Chloe's lips. "I feel like I'm the luckiest person alive."

Chloe hums, her heart fluttering in her chest. "Right back at ya."

"I'm sorry for not telling you," Beca whispers after a while. Her eyes move around the room. "And I'm sorry about the mess I made."

Chloe shakes her head, running a hand up and down Beca's arm. "It's okay. I'm sorry for leaving, too," she sighs and laughs quietly. "Maybe we've done enough apologizing?"

"Yeah…"

With one last squeeze to Beca's wrist, Chloe gives her an encouraging smile. "Now go call that producer of yours."

Beca is offered a junior position at Pacific Records starting a week from that day. It's scary and rushed but also very exciting. They pack Chloe's car with as much of their stuff as they can and leave the rest at the Bellas' house.

"Ready?" Chloe asks as she slumps down in her seat, Beca taking the one behind the wheel. She slips her sunglasses over her nose and smiles brightly at the younger woman.

"As I'll ever be." Beca replies, tone laced with some uncertainty. Cupping Chloe's cheek, she leans over the central console to give her a long kiss, then a series of small nips. Chloe giggles and stops her before it can turn in anything more than innocent kisses.

"Let's get this show on the road, goof."

Beca smiles and nods, lacing her fingers with Chloe's as she pulls onto the road, away from the home they built in the last three years, to start fresh across the country.

/

"Ugh, I'm exhausted."

Chloe complains as she drops on her back on the mattress in the middle of the living room. That's the only thing they bought today, and plan on going to IKEA the next day. The drive across the country took them more time than planned and all Chloe wants to do is curl into a ball and sleep.

Beca chuckles as she walks into the room, the glasses she's holding in her hands clinking together. Chloe lifts her head, frowning slightly.

"What you got there?" she asks, smiling as she sits up. Beca holds up the bottle of champagne in her other hand and kneels down on the mattress; their only piece of furniture as of now.

"I thought this had to be celebrated. It's not our first home but I feel like many great things are going to accomplished here."

Chloe watches as Beca uncorks the bottle with a _pop_ and pours the champagne in both glasses. "In this specific apartment or in LA?"

There's a cheeky look in Beca's eyes as she murmurs, "Both."

Chloe laughs as she accepts the glass Beca hands her. "Well, there _are_ many rooms that need to be christened."

Even after three years, making Beca embarrassed is still so easy that Chloe never passes up an opportunity of seeing her girlfriend get all cute and flustered.

But to her surprise, Beca leans in and kisses her fully and deeply, in a way that shows Chloe that they will definitely be getting to that later on. Chloe is panting when Beca parts with a smirk, and her jaw drops slightly at the brunette's mischievousness.

"To us," Beca says as she raises her glass, but Chloe holds up a finger before she can clink it against hers.

"And to your future, undeniable success out here in L.A," she adds, closing the scant distance between them to place a soft kiss on Beca's lips. "I love you."

Beca hums into the kiss, resting her forehead against Chloe's when they part. "I love you, too. So much."

Champagne glasses barely finished, Beca straddles Chloe's hips to, in her own words, get that christening started. Chloe squeals as Beca pins her to the mattress, claiming her lips a second later.

Chloe couldn't care less about sleep.

/

Chloe finds a job as a sub for maternity leave in a clinic a few blocks from their apartment. It's not the best clinic in LA and definitely a downgrade to the offer she had back in Atlanta. Beca starts to blame herself, but Chloe quickly put an end to it, telling her she'd rather be here with Beca and have not as good as a job than the other way around.

Beca, on the other hand, steadily thrives. The music she produces is heard on the radio on a daily basis, and while Chloe isn't surprised, as she was the first to really take into account Beca's immense talent, she can't quite put into words how proud she is.

When she comes home six months after they moved to LA to find Beca staring at her phone blankly as it sits on the coffee table, Chloe's heart jumps to her throat.

"Baby," she calls out, coming to sit by Beca on the couch, immediately grabbing her hand in an attempt to draw Beca's attention to her. Beca doesn't respond, gaze fastened on their coffee table instead. "What's going on? You're scaring me."

"I, uh, I got a call," Beca starts, voice sticking to her throat. Chloe swallows with difficulty in stiff apprehension of what is to come. "I've been nominated for a Grammy."

Chloe also knew this would happen eventually, just not six freaking months after moving to LA.

"You…" Chloe's eyes widen, and she shakes her head lightly to make sure it's screwed on straight. " _What?_ "

Beca finally snaps out of her daze, and the grin Chloe is met with tells her it's pretty real. "I'm nominated for a Grammy."

"Oh my gosh!" Chloe covers her mouth with her hand in shock, eyes already twinkling with happy tears. She pounces on Beca to pull her into a tight hug, both women laughing as they stumble onto the couch. Chloe pulls away slightly, enough to capture Beca's lips in a long kiss. "I'm so, so proud of you. Not surprised, but so fucking proud."

Beca smiles warmly, eyes shiny as she squeezes Chloe's waist. "Thank you, baby."

Beca wins the Grammy.

Chloe goes for a kiss on the cheek, but Beca ends up kissing her full on the lips, and she knows that kiss is airing on national television and will be seen by millions of people.

"You'll be fine," she whispers into Beca's ear before the brunette stands up, knowing Beca is aware of what she's referring to.

The truth is, Chloe is worried Beca might not be able to say anything once she stands behind that microphone and faces hundreds of people. She is afraid Beca might black out and have a meltdown, even though it hasn't happened in a while.

But new settings tend to trigger Beca's anxiety, and that anxiety is often involuntarily transferred to Chloe. Leg bouncing up and down, Chloe watches with panting breath as Beca accepts the award.

She comes to stand behind the microphone and pauses for a few seconds, eyes searching the crowd until they settle on Chloe. The redhead smiles, giving her a subtle thumbs up that visibly make Beca's demeanor relax.

"Thank you for this," Beca starts, swallowing her fear. Chloe can tell from the way she's gripping the award that it's the only thing grounding Beca. "I-I moved here six months ago and I didn't imagine winning anything like this. I'm, I'm-" Chloe winces, watching Beca's fingers flew and unflex by her side. "…honored. Thank you."

Chloe is the first on her feet, clapping and whistling and just beaming because Beca did it. Sure, she won that Grammy, but Chloe knows it's the first to many more. What Beca did, speaking in front of so many people, albeit for a short time, is the bigger accomplishment of the evening and she honestly cannot fathom how proud she is.

"I wanted to speak about you, you know," Beca speaks into the darkness when they lie in bed much later that night. They skipped the after-party and celebrated their own way in their hotel room in New York.

Chloe was being lulled to sleep by Beca's hand drifting up and down her spine. She hums, lifting her head from where it has been resting on Beca's chest.

The streetlamp light filtering through the window allows her to trace Beca's features.

"I wanted to say a lot more things than what I did," Beca adds, tucking a piece of Chloe's hair behind her ear with her free hand. It then goes down, running over the arm Chloe has draped over her midsection, until it's gripping Chloe's fingers. "I wanted to say thank you for following me out here so I could pursue my dream, I wanted to say how much I love you. But I-I couldn't. I felt like I was going to faint out there if I stayed one second more."

"You did so good, though," Chloe laughs gets watery as she nuzzles Beca's neck. "Besides, I think you _showed_ me how much you love me just now."

Beca flushes. "Yeah, but saying it on National TV is another level."

"I don't care," Chloe whispers, bringing their laced hands to her lips to drop a kiss on Beca's knuckles. "I don't care how many people know about how much you love me. _I_ know how much you love me, and that's the most important thing. I hope you know I love _you_ the same amount."

"I know," Beca confirms, tilting Chloe's chin up to press her lips to hers in a lazy kiss. "I'll talk about you next year."

"Next year?" Laughter bubbles up inside Chloe's chest at her girlfriend's cocky expression. "Who are you and what have you done to my modest girlfriend?"

Beca's own eyes widen as she looks down, suddenly self-conscious. "I…"

Sometimes Beca doesn't get jokes like other people do, and even though it was unsettling at first, Chloe now finds it endearing.

"I'm kidding," Chloe clears up, craning her neck to place a chaste kiss on Beca's lips. "I like that you're confident. Given your talent, you have every right to be."

"Oh. Right," she mumbles with a light blush. "Thank you."

Chloe laughs, lids dropping steadily as she feels that post-bliss drowsiness slip into her limbs.

"Anytime, babe."

/

Over her life, Chloe has known worst wake-up calls than this one.

It starts with soft kisses to her neck and chest, feather light touches, and ends with a mind-shattering orgasm that sends waves after waves of pleasure through the entire length of her still waking body.

Chloe whimpers as she comes down from her high, only laughing when she opens her eyes to find Beca resting her chin on her stomach, the blanket wrapped around her head with a mischievous expression.

"What are you _doing_?" she asks through a giggle, beckoning Beca up to her level. The brunette drops a kiss close to her navel and shuffles up, lying on her side to face Chloe. "What was that about? Not that I'm complaining, it was amazing."

"Happy birthday morning sex, baby."

"Hmm," Chloe moans, capturing Beca's lips in a heated kiss as she rolls on top of her. Her limbs are still mushy and tingling pleasantly, but she's ready for another round. "It's only eight, and you've set the bar pretty high there, Mitchell. You think the rest of your activities will keep up?"

Beca's finger is distracting her as it runs along the dip of her waist teasingly. "Well, you'll just have to wait and find out."

The day turns out amazing, not that Chloe had any doubt about the creativeness and devotion Beca put into it. It resumes (after another few rounds of love-making) with breakfast in bed and cuddles.

They step out of the house well after noon for a late lunch and spend the afternoon in an amusement park that have them both squealing like kids. Beca wins a teddy bear for her after many attempts and more money spent than the actual worth of the plush toy.

"Thank you for today, baby," Chloe whispers against the shell of Beca's ear, nipping at it slightly as Beca tries to open the door. It's well past seven PM when they step inside their apartment, and Chloe does a double-take upon seeing the state of their living-room when they walk in.

A sort of tent stands in the middle of the room when their couch should be, the latter tucked against the opposite wall. Chloe frowns and steps closer to investigate.

She gasps when she realizes it's a cozy looking pillow-fort, lit by tiny fairy lights. A fluffy blanket and more pillows are arranged inside, and a computer is set up, surrounded by snacks and drinks.

"How did you do all this?" She asks Beca, straightening up to face her. "I'm pretty sure you were with me the whole day."

Beca winks at her. "I've got connections," she grips Chloe's hips to pull her closer. "Go put on your pajamas and I'll set up the movie."

"What movie?"

" _Sleepless in Seattle_."

 _Of course._ Her favorite.

Chloe narrows her eyes. "You don't like movies."

"True, but I like _you_ ," Beca replies smoothly with a shrug, and Chloe feels her chest soar with nothing else but love for the person standing in front of her. "Now go get your cute butt in those shorts. Pizza should be here soon."

Chloe is crying by the end of the movie, and Beca makes fun of her, but ends up pulling her into her side to kiss her forehead.

"I got you something," she murmurs as the end credits roll out. Straightening up, Beca puts the computer away and reaches inside a bag tucked in the corner while Chloe moves to sit up, resting back against her heels. Beca takes two wrapped-up presents out of the bag, handing the first one to Chloe.

Chloe doesn't waste time in ripping it open. It's always been that way since she was a kid. She never understood the people who neatly unwrapped their present as to not rip the paper. Where's the fun in that?

Peeling the paper away, Chloe glances down at a thin rectangular box, with the name of a famous brand of medical supplies. Looking at Beca in confusion, she opens the box. It's a brand-new stethoscope, much nicer than the one Chloe has owned since the start of vet school, that looks quite expensive.

She pulls it out of the box, examining it closely, when the lettering engraved on one of the branches gives her heart a startle.

_Dr. Chloe Mitchell_

Chloe's breathing halts in her throat, and she finally tears her eyes away from the letters to glance up at a sheepish Beca, who is holding a small square box in her hand.

Chloe's eyes are already swimming with tears as she takes in the scene before her.

"Beca…"

Beca takes a deep breath as she shuffles closer to Chloe.

"I-I'm, I'm-" she closes her eyes briefly and sighs in frustration. Chloe lets out a watery laugh and squeezes Beca's fingers.

"Take your time, baby. I'm not going anywhere."

Beca nods and gathers her bearings, twisting her hand so that her fingers are laced with Chloe's.

"I love you, Chloe. I think I have since-since the day we played together in that auditorium the-the first time. You scared me at first. All bubbly and with no personal boundaries whatsoever," Beca pauses to laugh, but it comes out a bit strangled under the weight of the emotion. "But you were careful and understanding around me and I fell in love with you fast and steady. I truly admire you. You are beautiful, caring, _so_ talented at what you do and you've always believed in me. I couldn't ask for a better partner to do this life thing with, and I would love nothing more than to have the privilege to call you my wife."

Chloe chokes on a sob, head bobbing up and down as Beca opens the box to reveal a princess cut diamond set on a white, thin band. It's simple, but beautiful, and is everything Chloe pictured for her engagement ring.

"Chloe Beale, will you marry me?"

Chloe closes the gap between them to capture Beca's lips in a deep kiss that draws a surprised squeak out of Beca. Realizing she hasn't given an answer, she pulls away and rests her forehead against Beca's, baby blues locking onto midnight ones. She momentarily loses herself in the depth of Beca's eyes and takes a beat to gather herself.

"Yes. A thousand times yes, my love."

Beca grins, cupping Chloe's cheek to kiss her sweetly. She backs away to pluck the ring out of its holder and takes Chloe's hand with trembling fingers, sliding it onto Chloe's ring finger.

"I love you," Chloe rasps out against Beca's lips as she kisses her, over and over again. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

Chloe smiles, glancing down at the new item now adorning her hand. Beca looks behind her and hands Chloe her other gift. "I, um, I almost didn't go for the stethoscope thing, I didn't know if it was too bold or not," Beca flushes slightly as Chloe rips the wrapping paper off. "So I made this, too."

Tossing the wrapping aside, Chloe's eyes get misty as they take in the drawing before her. It's a sketch of the two of them in a similar setting to where they are now, with Beca down on one knee, looking up at Chloe with a sweet expression. Underneath is written in Beca's handwriting the words, _'Will you marry me?'_

"Oh my god," Chloe laughs, running her fingers over the framed sketch. "I love it. And I love the stethoscope, too. And I love _you_."

"I should hope so, 'cause we're getting married," Beca answers cheekily, and Chloe squeals, tackling Beca down in a hug. Beca laughs and fake-complains about Chloe being too heavy, and suddenly sobers up. "I know we didn't talk about names, but I'm willing to take yours, if you want. Or do you want to hyphen it?"

Chloe doesn't have to think about too much. Maybe because it's not the first time her thoughts have drifted to this subject.

"I like the sound of Chloe Mitchell. I want our kids to be called Mitchell, too. Hyphened names are too much of a mouthful."

Her brain registers what she's just said upon witnessing Beca's sharp intake of breath and sudden stiffness, and Chloe panics for a moment, afraid that she might have said too much or burned steps.

"I mean-"

Beca squeezes her waist gently. "I agree," Chloe opens her mouth to ask for clarification, but Beca beats her to the punch. "Hyphened names are complicated for kids."

Chloe's face must show surprise because Beca laughs at her expression.

"Don't look so surprised. I know I've never imagined myself as a mom. But then again, I had never imagined doing all the things I have already achieved until I met you. It's like you make my insecurities vanish whenever you're around."

Chloe is pretty sure she's in for another round of tears at this point. She sniffles and cups Beca's jaw. "God, I can't wait to start a family with you," she leans and kisses Beca slowly, as if to burn the moment in her memory. "In our own time. Right now, I like just the two of us."

Beca hums in agreement, leaning forward to kiss the tip of Chloe's nose. "I like it, too."

/

Chloe gets into a car accident a few weeks later, and though she suffers from a minor head concussion and two broken ribs, she feels fine. A little bit sore, but fine.

Beca though, isn't.

Chloe hears her fiancée before she actually sees her. She hears Beca stutter out the words _'Chloe Beale'_ and _'fiancée'_ , before the door to the hospital room she's in while she waits for a head scan swings open.

The nurse lets Beca through and the brunette wastes no time in making the distance between the door and Chloe's bed, wrapping Chloe in a tight hug.

Chloe winces and tenses, the pain in her side burning from the blunt pressure.

"I'm s-sorry," Beca lets out, eyes a bit panicky as they flick from Chloe's injured side to her eyes. "Did I hurt you?"

Chloe shakes her head and reaches out to pad Beca's tears away with her thumbs, "No, babe. No reason to cry."

"You scared me," Beca whispers shakily, moving to sit on the bed. The lack of focus in her eyes tell Chloe she is on a verge of an anxiety episode. "I got the call and-and- they said you were hurt and-"

"I'm okay," Chloe states hurriedly, grabbing Beca's hand to place it palm flat above her heart. Beca seems to relax from simply feeling it thump, shoulders slumping in relief. "I'm _okay_."

Beca seems to accept that as she puffs out a breath and wipes her cheek with her free hand, "Okay."

She gently climbs onto the bed, and settles against Chloe's healthy side, resting her head over Chloe's chest. Chloe sighs and drops a kiss into Beca's hair, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Beca feels it all and feels it deeply, in good or bad situations. It makes her sensitive but also considerate to other people's feelings, and that's one of the many character traits Chloe loves about her.

She used to internalize her emotions, especially at the beginning of their relationship, but showed more and more of her empathy as their bond grew.

Beca lifts her head after a while, as if having heard enough heartbeats to tell Chloe is truly okay.

"Is your head okay, too?"

Chloe hums. "They still need to check that. But I'm sure it'll be fine. It's screwed on straight."

Beca lifts a hand, pressing the back of it to Chloe's forehead and slowly drifting down her cheek. Chloe catches it before it goes away and presses a kiss to Beca's palm.

"Let me check," Beca suggests, sitting up a bit more. Chloe frowns at what she means by that. "Who am I?"

Chloe snickers, intertwining their fingers. "I'm pretty sure your name is Beca Mitchell."

"And?"

Chloe rolls her eyes. "You're one of the, if not the most, talented music producers in the US."

"That's not the most important part," Beca says with a tut. Chloe raises an eyebrow.

"Oh, it's not?"

Beca shakes her head, humming. "I'm Beca Mitchell, lucky future wife of Chloe Beale, the most beautiful and kindest soul there is."

Chloe laughs, but tears are definitely filling her eyes. "That was so cheesy, baby."

Beca shrugs. "But true."

Chloe leans in to peck Beca's lips. "Thank you."

"Mmm," Beca kisses her again, lingering this time. "Anytime."

/

"Hey Chlo?"

Chloe hums in reply, pulling her attention away from her book. They have been laying in bed, Chloe reading a book while Beca caught up on a few emails.

"We'll be married by this time tomorrow."

Chloe smiles giddily, closing her book and setting it on the bedside table. Rolling onto her side, she nestles into Beca's side and drops a quick kiss to her covered shoulder.

"I know," she sighs contently, resting her head against Beca's chest. "Are you excited?"

"Eh."

Chloe lifts her head, gaping at her fiancée. Beca has that smirk on her face that makes Chloe want to pinch her waist. She does, and Beca yelps, battling her hand away. It quickly turns into a tickling fight that have them both gasping for breath.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," Beca gasps out, seizing Chloe's hand to keep Chloe from tickling her more. Beca sets her computer down on the floor and turns on her side to face her. "You know what I'm most excited about?"

Chloe shakes her head, hypnotized by the dark blue irises staring back at her.

"To get to call you my _wife_ ," she husks out, eyes dropping to Chloe's lips before swiftly moving back up. "I like the word. Sounds unbelievably sexy and just… _right_."

The whimper that flies from Chloe's lips is a testament of what Beca can do to her body and soul in just a few words. She feels lit all the sudden, from the tip of her toes to the top of her spine with a new sense of desire.

Beca leans in to graze the shell of her ear with her teeth, and Chloe's body stirs into her like a magnet, rolling until she's pressed flush against Beca's.

"I can't wait to call you my wife either."

She does wonder when they have become one of those annoyingly sappy couples, but that thought quickly flies out of her mind as Beca dips down to attach her lips to that spot on her neck that drives her crazy.

/

After working for a year in the same clinic, Chloe decides to open her own with a friend of hers, a year after she and Beca get married.

It's a big accomplishment for Chloe, the biggest professional one in her life yet, and Beca reminds her of that when she comes out of the clinic after her first day. She falters upon seeing her wife leaned against her own car, a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other.

"Aw, babe," Chloe coos as she approaches, a lump forming in her throat at the attention. She kisses Beca swiftly, cupping her jaw. "Thank you."

Beca gives her an eskimo kiss, before dipping down for a proper one. "Congratulations on your first day, wifey."

"Thank you," Chloe repeats, heart fluttering at the nickname. It's been a year, yet it still manages to send a handful of butterflies in her belly. Accepting the flowers, she takes a second to smell them. Beca watches and pries the flowers from Chloe's hands a few seconds later to give her the bottle instead.

"Wanna do the honors?"

"Absolutely!"

Beca smiles sheepishly. "I forgot the glasses."

Chloe shrugs and pops the bottle open, squealing when it starts to overflow, and quickly brings it to her lips to catch the liquid. She takes a big gulp and lowers the bottle with a sheepish grin. Realizing Beca caught the whole thing on camera, Chloe flushes.

"Come here," Chloe curls a finger towards her wife, and kisses her fully, prying the phone from her hands. "I think a selfie is mandatory."

Beca rolls her eyes good-naturedly, and tugs Chloe closer so they both fit into the frame, as well as the name of the clinic above them.

Chloe feels Beca's lips to the apple of her cheek just as the camera click, and she thinks, upon looking at the picture, that their glow is so intense that the flash wasn't even needed.

Later that night, as Chloe scrolls through Instagram when Beca is already asleep, she realizes Beca uploaded the video she took earlier, captioned with,

 **DJBecamitch** _Couldn't be prouder of my beautiful wife tonight for opening her own clinic. Really, could she get any cuter?_ Chloemitchell

Chloe is downright swooning. She comments with a few hearts that will probably make Beca's fans go crazy and sets her phone aside before rolling onto her side to snuggle against Beca.

"I love you," she whispers into the brunette's ear, pressing a quick kiss into the crook of her neck. Beca hums sleepily, fingers lacing through Chloe's.

Chloe settles against her and sighs contently.

Life is good.

/

One of Chloe's cousins is in town a few months later, and drops by their apartment to catch up over lunch. The last time they have seen each other was at Beca and Chloe's wedding a little over a year ago and Chloe is delighted to see her niece, Zoe, who has just turned four.

"Sorry, I'm late," Beca apologizes as she breezes through the door, flinging her messenger bag over her shoulder and setting it on the ground. She greets Chloe with a quick peck and Chloe's cousin with a short hug.

"Aunty Chlo?"

Chloe looks down at the source of the voice and crouches down at her niece's level. "What's up, bug?"

"Can we color?"

"Absolutely. Get a head start and I'll be right there, 'K?"

The little girl nods, pigtails bouncing up and down, and trots back to the living-room. Chloe stands back up, and Beca squeezes her arm as she walks past her to follow the youngest person out of the room.

It's hard for Chloe to focus on what her cousin is telling her afterwards. Beca is laying on her stomach next to Zoe as they color, and she can faintly hear Beca talking animatedly with her niece.

Her heart does that weird thing in her chest it has done every time she's witnessed Beca interact with children lately. It's almost an ache; something her heart longs for.

"Chlo?" Beca whispers in their dark bedroom much later, a few minutes after they have turned off the lights and called it a night. The sheets rumple, and Chloe feels Beca's hand set flat on her stomach, underneath her top. "Can we talk?"

Chloe frowns at that, as those aren't words that promise for a good conversation. But Beca has never really been conventional with the way she speaks, Chloe has learned over the years, so she tries to tame down her concern.

She reaches over and turns the light on; having serious conversations in the dark isn't something she's keen of. She wants to be able to see Beca's features and body language, especially if something is wrong. She knows her wife's body expressions cover to cover and can tell when Beca is about to be upset, when she wants to be left alone, or when she seeks affection.

Right now, Beca doesn't seem to be distraught, but Chloe still wants to make sure as she blinks to adjust to the light, turning onto her side. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, no," Beca immediately clears up, leaning in to kiss Chloe as testament of that. "I, um, I just wanted to let you know that I'm ready to have a baby. I really enjoyed spending the afternoon with Zoe today and it made me realize that I want to have those kinds of days with our own kids. Like-like, soon?"

Chloe raises an eyebrow, trying to gather her giddiness before it gets too out of hand. She's suddenly a lot more awake than she was a few seconds ago. "You do?"

"Yeah. Do you?"

_Duh._

Chloe beams before kissing Beca lightly. "More than anything."

"I-I think you should carry it," Beca says shily, focusing on her hand, still splayed out over Chloe's stomach. Chloe's brain is still processing that Beca wants to have a baby soon, and it suddenly feels assaulted by many life-changing choices. "If you want to, that is."

"I'd love to be pregnant," Chloe confirms cautiously a few beats later once the shock has passed. "But, why do you think I should carry it?"

Beca shrugs, avoiding Chloe's gaze. "It's stupid."

Chloe lays her hand over Beca's and squeezes her fingers. "I'm sure it's not."

"I just…" Beca huffs in frustration as Chloe patiently waits for her to gather her words. "I-I don't want our child to have what I have. I don't want to take that risk by carrying it."

Pain shoots to Chloe's chest upon hearing Beca's concern. She lifts her hand, running her knuckles over her wife's cheek. "Beca,"

"I spent most of my childhood on my own because of ASD and selective mutism and I would hate for our child to go through the same thing."

"Okay," Chloe murmurs understandingly. "I get it. And your concerns are _far_ from stupid. However, I think that our child is bound to grow up in a much more stable environment than the one you had. Your parents' divorce was the trigger to your mutism, right?"

"Yeah, but-" Beca swallows heavily, finally meeting Choe's eyes. "ASD can be genetic and I don't want our child to have it."

"You say that like autism is a bad thing," Chloe observes with a frown. "And I'm sorry that you had to spend most of your life thinking it was a defect of yours, but it's _not_ , Beca. There's nothing wrong about being different. Not accepting difference _is_ wrong, and that's on society. I don't consider it a disease or abnormality, even if science says so. You just see the world differently sometimes and I love that. You are such a beautiful person," she reaches up to tuck a strand of hair behind Beca's ear, letting her finger trail over smooth skin down her jaw. "Please don't believe there's _anything_ wrong with you, because that's simply not true."

Beca inhales shakily, misty eyes blinking in slow succession as she lets Chloe's words set in. She doesn't say anything, instead captures Chloe's lips in a slow kiss.

"I love you," she whispers against Chloe's lips as they part. "And I think our child will be very lucky to have you as their mom; it seems like you always know exactly what to say to make someone feel better."

Chloe is about to speak, but Beca continues.

"I just think society has a lot of progress to make on this and I would feel more comfortable if our child didn't have it. Besides, I really want him or her to have red hair."

The comment brings a gush of levity around them and Chloe laughs, nuzzling the nook in Beca's cheek as she grins. "Do you now?"

"Heck, yeah."

Chloe takes a deep breath and laces her fingers with her wife's once more. "Are we really doing this?"

Beca squeezes her hand gently. "I think so."

They manage to find a donor who holds as many similarities to Beca as possible, with a clear medical history. After many medical appointments and much unbearable wait, Chloe finds out she's pregnant on a foggy Tuesday morning.

She didn't tell Beca she was taking the test, as the three other tests they have taken over the last two months came out negative, and the look of disappointment on Beca's face through each of those was borderline unbearable.

Being on her day off and not patient enough to tell Beca until that evening, Chloe drives to her studio and rushes up the stairs, hoping Beca isn't recording vocals so that she can steal her away for a moment. Upon stepping into Beca's office after knocking, Chloe realizes her wife is in the middle of giving a meeting.

"Oh," she lets out, stopping in her tracks. "I'm sorry, I'll wait outside."

Beca shakes her head and sets her notebook down.

"No, it's okay," she turns to her team and tells them to take five.

Chloe is barely able to hold her excitement in as the few people spill out of the room. When the door clicks shut, she strides to Beca and pulls her into a bruising kiss.

Beca moans in surprise, one hand drifting to hold Chloe's hip while the other sets flat against her stomach. She doesn't know if Beca put two and two together, but she feels as though that subtle touch is far from being a coincidence.

"Are you?" Beca asks when they part, confirming Chloe's suspicions.

The redhead is at loss for words. "How did you even…?"

Beca shrugs, slipping her hand past Chloe's top to lay it directly on her skin. "I had a feeling."

Chloe lies her hand on top of Beca's, and they momentarily get lost in their own little bubble of happiness.

"Bec," Chloe's voice croaks out as the situation dawns onto her. Tears fill her eyes to the rim. "We're going to be _parents_."

"I…" Beca seems at loss for words, the only sound that comes out of her mouth being a watery laugh. "Yeah."

She dips in to kiss Chloe gently, sighing contently as she rests her forehead against hers.

"I love you," Chloe smiles and reciprocates quietly. She watches curiously as Beca bends down, lifts her shirt and kisses her lower stomach too. Chloe is close to bawling her eyes out when she hears Beca tell their baby, who is probably no bigger than a peanut right now, that she loves him or her already.

/

"Mitchell and Holden veterinary clinic, how may I help you?"

" _Hi, is this Mrs. Mitchell?"_

"Yes, it is. Who is this?"

" _My name is Michael, I, uh, I work with your wife, Beca."_

She doesn't remember who this Michael is, but from the way the man speaks, Chloe immediately knows something is wrong. "What is it?"

" _She, uh, she is having some sort of panic attack, and it's been that way for like, twenty minutes already. I thought maybe you could help? Should I put you on speaker?"_

Chloe shakes her head, though the man can't see it. "I'm on my way."

She tells her colleague in a flurry that she has an emergency she needs to get to, and jumps into her car, slamming the door a bit too forcefully before speeding out of the parking lot. When she gets to the studio, everyone is whispering among each other in the open space. Her eyes scan the room, hoping to settle on her wife, but Beca is nowhere to be seen.

"Mrs. Mitchell?" she recognizes the voice from the phone call and snaps her head to its owner. A short man about her age is waving her over, "Through here."

Chloe nods and hastily walks over to be led into one of the back rooms. Her heart snaps into two from the sight before her. Beca is huddled in one of the corners, knees tucked into her chest and hands pressed over her ears as she wheezes and rocks back and forth.

She drops her purse on the floor and strides to her wife, kneeling in front of her.

"Beca,"

She whispers softly, leaning up to press her lips to Beca's forehead, allowing them to linger, hoping her sent and touch help Beca through her episode. She's not sure the brunette can hear her over the wheezing.

"Baby, it's me."

Chloe reaches out to run her hands over Beca's arms in an attempt to soothe her, but the second she touches her, the brunette recoils from her with a whine, shuffling further into the corner behind her.

"Okay, okay," Chloe relents as she keeps her hands to herself, unsurprised by the pattern. Over the years, she's learned to deal with Beca's episodes. Though they are fewer, some of them are intense and still hard to apprehend, like this one. "No touching."

Beca's wheezes turn into whines as she tugs on her hair and occasionally bangs on her skull with her fists. Chloe feels as though someone is squeezing her heart. Witnessing the person she loves the most hurting herself without being able to stop it makes it difficult for her to breathe.

As much as Chloe wants to reach out to prevent Beca from hurting herself, she knows it's best to sit back and help her with her voice rather than her touch, just like the first time she's dealt with one of Beca's panic attacks back when they barely knew one another.

"Today I treated an _iguana_. It was gigantic and stared at me with his side eyes the whole time. I wasn't very comfortable because reptiles are not really my thing, but in the end I kinda liked it. Maybe we should get an iguana. And a couple snakes. What do you think?"

Beca doesn't answer, but the rocking stops and Chloe's breathing grows steadier.

"Maybe we can get to this baby thing first, and we'll see about the iguana, huh?" Chloe suggests with a laugh. "I also had my doctor's appointment today. He said everything looks good, that our baby girl is healthy."

To that, Beca's eyes open and her hands fall from her ears as she stares at Chloe with bloodshot eyes. She was unable to attend that appointment because of an important meeting and had felt bad over it. Chloe doesn't believe that's the reason of her meltdown, though.

As if on cue, Chloe feels a kick to her stomach. She gasps and grabs Beca's hand gently, pressing it just to the side of her belly. Another kick is given, and Beca's eyes light up, a smile tugging at her own lips.

Chloe should give their baby some credit for her perfect timing as her interruption seems to ground Beca like an anchor and make her panic vanish.

"She's very active already," Chloe beams, slipping her hand into Beca's other hand and giving it a squeeze.

Beca puffs out a breath. Chloe releases a deep breath of her own, happy with the way she handled Beca's distress. She doesn't ask what its trigger was, Beca will tell her about it in her own time if she wants to.

Right now, Chloe focuses on the fact that her wife is okay.

That's what matters the most.

"Shall we go home?" she asks, reaching up to wipe Beca's tears away. "We can order take-out from that Italian place on the way."

Beca nods, and Chloe helps her stand up. Wordlessly, Beca pushes herself flush against Chloe's body, arms snaking around her waist as best as they can, given her large stomach. She rests her forehead against Chloe's sternum and Chloe feels the tension leave Beca's body as she wraps her own arms around her shoulders.

"You're okay," she whispers, dropping a kiss into Beca's hair. She sways lightly from left to right. "I love you."

She feels Beca's lips on the skin left uncovered by her open shirt and smiles. They remain this way until Beca pulls away and reaches for Chloe's hand, pressing a gentle kiss to her palm in what Chloe's grown to recognize as her silent thanks.

It always takes a long time for Beca to be able to speak after one of her episodes. The car ride is quiet, the white noise filled by the radio set on low. Beca hums softly under her breath to whatever song comes on, her thumb running repeatedly over Chloe's knuckles as they hold hands over the console.

"I think I need to take time off work," Beca murmurs eventually when Chloe pulls up into their street. "The pressure is a bit too much. More than I can handle."

Chloe parks in their driveway and takes off her seatbelt, twisting in her seat as best as she can to face her wife.

"That's perfectly alright. You've been working your butt off. You need a break."

"I didn't notice until today… One of the artists wasn't completely satisfied with the arrangement and I spent most of the afternoon wracking my brain for ideas that at some point, I blacked out. And then you were here."

"You kinda scared me," Chloe admits quietly. "It's been a while since I last saw you at this level of distress and you were hurting yourself, I was at loss of what to do."

"I'm sorry I scared you."

Chloe runs her thumb over Beca's knuckles repeatedly. "It's okay now. But I don't want your job to become a trigger for more episodes. I think taking time off is a good idea."

Like most nights, Beca ends up talking to Chloe's belly before bed, laying upside down on their mattress, while Chloe reads her book. She usually can't read more than two pages as she also focuses on what Beca is telling their baby.

Beca has taken a liking into telling their unborn daughter the story of their relationship.

"And then your mommy told your grandpa off and that's when I realized I loved her. Like, really loved her." Chloe squeezes Beca's ankle in wordless agreement that it was also when she realized she loved Beca. "And that was also the first time we made love."

"Beca!" Chloe gasps, looking at her wife incredulously. "You can't tell our baby _that_."

"Why not?" Beca shrugs, a smile painted on her lips. "It was an amazing night."

Chloe can feel her cheeks catch on fire as memories from their first night together flood her mind. She remembers every tentative touch and kiss, the way Beca had made her feel that night. She squirms slightly as her body hums with the memories that send a spike of lust right to her core.

"It really was."

/

Spencer June Mitchell is born a couple months later with a piercing wail that tells their mothers she will be anything but a quiet baby.

Chloe watches fondly as Beca holds her for the first time, remaining silent as her eyes trace every detail about their daughter.

She eventually glances up at Chloe with that look of awe in her gaze, mouth opening and closing without releasing a sound.

Shuffling up to Chloe while never tearing her eyes from the new addition to their family, Beca sits on the side of the bed so Chloe can see her as well.

"She's so precious."

Beca only hums, running her thumb over their daughter's clenched fist. The brunette bends down and presses a kiss to Spencer's forehead, the first of many.

"I love you baby girl," she murmurs, then twists her head to deliver the same kiss to Chloe's temple. "I love you, wifey."

Chloe leans against her wife, reflecting on her life as Beca rocks their daughter from side to side.

How it all started seven years ago when she chose to sit next to the quiet girl at the back of the classroom.

How that simple choice had changed her life in a way she would have never imagined back then.

And right now, as she watches her wife interact with their newborn baby girl, Chloe can't wait to see what life has in store for them.

She's pretty sure it's bound to be amazing.


End file.
